Combating senior isolation in the Central Adirondacks

With pilot support from Adirondack Community Foundation, LivingADK created a Community Resource Navigator position serving three rural towns in the west central Adirondacks.

OLD FORGE — Across the Adirondacks, aging in place is deeply meaningful to longtime residents. But harsh winters, vast travel distances, and scattered family networks leave many older adults dangerously isolated.

Public health data reveals that social isolation increases the risk of premature death by nearly 30% — a health impact equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

With three-year pilot support from the Adirondack Community Foundation’s Social Safety Net Initiative, LivingADK created a Community Resource Navigator position serving three rural towns in the westcentral Adirondacks: Webb, Inlet, and the hamlet of Raquette Lake within the Town of Long Lake.

This position crosses county lines, connecting residents with resources and partner organizations they might not know about or have trouble reaching. 

Instead of waiting for isolated seniors to find help, navigator Miriam Doud rides along on local meal delivery routes to build personal trust with homebound residents. During one meal delivery, Doud met an elderly gentleman living alone who was overwhelmed by basic household upkeep and unable to navigate public assistance applications.

Calling upon relationships with 17 partner organizations, Doud directly connected him with in-home care through the Office for the Aging — a lifesaving service he could not have accessed on his own. 

This is just one example of how simple, human connections can transform the rural safety net. Adirondack Community Foundation is proud to support LivingADK in this work.