Honoring and Supporting Elders

Honoring and taking care of Elders is a universal Alaska Native and American Indian cultural value. As an Alaska Native-owned-and-operated health care organization, Southcentral Foundation strives to support the health and wellness of the Elder customer-owner population with a holistic, customer-driven, and evidence-based approach.

People often require more care and support as they get older, and quality of life as well as overall health need to be considered. Southcentral Foundation has always considered this kind of care to be important, and our Aging Well initiative is one example of how we support physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellness for Alaska Native and American Indian Elders. Another way SCF provides support for Elders is through the Elder Program, which provides a comprehensive approach to delivering services for Elder customer-owners.

SCF’s Elder Program is for customer-owners age 55 and older who live in the Anchorage area. Its services are designed to enhance quality of life and support independent living. The program works to create an environment of quality, dignity, and pride for Elder customer-owners.

The services provided by the Elder Program include:

• A hot lunch program offered Monday through Friday
• Advocacy, information, and assistance and referral services
• Light housekeeping, in-home visits, and scheduled transportation for those who are eligible
• Group outings and health and social activities including vegetable picking, berry picking, bead and sew group, and an exercise and nutrition program
• Annual events including potlucks and holiday celebrations

If you’re interested in learning more about how SCF supports Elders, check out the downloadable resources in the “Aging Well” section of the document library. If you have any questions about SCF’s Elder Program, or any other aspect of SCF’s Nuka System of Care, feel free to contact the SCF Learning Institute.