CREJ

Page 36 — Multifamily Properties Quarterly — February 2022 www.crej.com Affordable Housing E aton Senior Communities Inc., located in Lakewood, is an affordable and middle- market senior housing com- munity serving 225 older adults. We are a prime example of a community where the intersec- tion of health care and housing provides the foundation for aging in place. Because we rely heavily on government subsidies and grant funding to support programs and services, we are creative in devel- oping community partnerships to sustain our health and wellness offerings. The center incorporates eight dimensions of wellness into its service delivery – physical, nutri- tional, emotional, social, spiritual, intellectual, environmental and community. The organization was intentional about providing sup- portive services on site since its inception, creating a wellness clinic with a community nurse, offering social activities and providing an on-site meal program. Even in the early 1980s, we were a pioneer in recognizing the value of engag- ing residents in the community by partnering housing plus services. Throughout the years, we have sought providers who are will- ing to offer services at low-cost or through insurance and want to invest in Eaton’s mission. Our partnership with United Health- care’s OPTUM program has allowed residents to enroll in a Medicare Special Needs Plan and have access to on-site health providers such as primary care, dermatology, audi- ology, podiatry, and physical and occupational therapy. The massage therapist offers services in incre- ments of 15 minutes to keep them affordable for the residents. We even offer an affordable, on-site veterinary clinic. We have a versatile wellness room that can accommodate a variety of providers. Certain servic- es can be provided in the comfort of the resident’s apartment. For example, Legacy Healthcare Servic- es leases space in the on-site fitness center, which pro- vides revenue to the building’s well- ness program, and therapy services can be provided in the resident’s apartment. As a model, housing plus services benefits health care partners by providing a strong cus- tomer base where they can serve several clients in one place or at the same time, while individuals in the housing community benefit from receiving on-site services. On-site services break down the barriers to accessing health care. Transportation can be a barrier to accessing vital health care services, so it is imperative to provide on- site wraparound services that focus on all dimensions of wellness. Some challenges that future hous- ing-plus-services providers will face include an increasing level of acuity, including mental health needs. Currently we are address- ing that barrier to integrate men- tal health services into affordable housing by providing office space to a community mental health pro- vider. Another challenge that will be critical to enhancing the servic- es provided by housing providers will be improved care coordination. Health insurers are recognizing the value of this and have begun offering Medicare Special Needs Plans that integrate care coordina- tion into the services given to the client. As payers begin to see the preventative value in care coordi- nation, housing providers will be able to develop partnerships to implement these programs within their walls. The impact of these services is reflected by information from Eaton’s resident wellness survey, which is conducted annually. Our residents who were enrolled in United Healthcare’s OPTUM pro- gram and utilized on-site services faced a nearly 91% lower rate of hospitalizations in the past 30 days when compared to residents whose insurers require accessing off-site services. Remarkably, 80% of our residents report having no hospi- talizations in the past six months. At an individual level, countless anecdotal stories highlight the impact of the on-site health and wellness offerings. Here two resi- dents’ stories: Susan needed to retire due to vision changes, increased hearing loss and balance disorders. After falling seven times in one year, she retired and moved to Eaton. With fall prevention training, strength and balance exercises, and physi- cal therapy, she gradually regained her confidence. She completed a 5K charity walk after the first year without a cane. Now she fills her days with gardening, writing, painting, walking and enjoying her better health. Dee moved to Eaton because she wanted to move to an affordable senior living community. When she moved in, she was managing a cancer diagnosis and was bed-rid- den for five months. Our director of wellness initiatives connected Dee to various on-site providers, such as Legacy Healthcare Services, to improve her condition. She went through two years of physical therapy to walk again. The service coordinator also ensured that Dee had access to various benefit pro- grams and financial support. Her cancer has now been in remission for two years. Dee, 76, continues to live independently and enjoys card games, art and social events. She says that she does not think any of this would have been pos- sible without all the support from Eaton’s staff and programs. Now, she wakes up every day and asks, “What can I do to have fun and make this a great day?” We continues to explore new ways in which to bring more inno- vative services and supports to our residents through our “cul- ture of curiosity.” By embracing eight dimensions of wellness, we empowers older adults to remain living independently with a high quality of life. Witnessing our residents age well within the com- munity is proof that housing plus services is a model that needs to be replicated in other settings. s On-site health, wellness make difference for seniors Diana Delgado President and CEO, Eaton Senior Communities Inc. ating new opportunities for residents. DHA: • Enrolled 184 youths in the Youth Employment Academies (creative and culinary academies), with a 94% com- pletion rate. • Opened a new social enterprise under YEA – a culturally relevant grocery store, Decatur Fresh Market, located in Sun Valley neighborhood. • Secured a contract with MeowWolf to be the primary grab-and-go food provider. • Secured healthy food for Denver Kids grant to provide healthy food ser- vices in west Denver. • Created the Sun Valley Cookbook with residents’ recipes. • Created the Community Connec- tor Handbook as a guidebook for resi- dents. • Implemented harvest and multi- cultural block parties. n Educating toward employment. Through DHA’s education and employ- ment programs, 160 participants received job readiness/soft skills train- ing, 41 participants secured employ- ment and 83 participants earned a nationally recognized certificate in the past year. Below are some additional concrete ways that DHA demonstrated the value and intersection of educa- tion, health and employment: • Provided 21 paid youth internships. • Held the 9Health Fair in the Mari- posa neighborhood. • Distributed 215 backpacks to kids. The data tells a story of support and ignites hope that with the right sup- port and services mothers like Ms. Rivera can receive the upper hand they need in the most challenging times any of us has seen. s Nisivoccia Continued from Page 34 by Keo Frazier With a year under his belt, David Nisivoccia, the executive direc- tor of the Housing Authority of the City and County of Denver, is responsible for the oversight and operation of the largest pub- lic housing authority in the state of Colorado and Rocky Mountain region, and one of the largest public housing authories in the nation. Nisivoccia is leading a number of DHA’s community investments in the planning and implementa- tion phases, including the Choice Neighborhood Implementation Grant for the Sun Valley neighbor- hood; the City Affordable Housing Bond Program, also known as DHA Delivers for Denver; new partner- ships for permanent supportive housing initiatives; capital projects such as Gateway, 655 Broadway/ Studebaker and Shoshone Street; the Energy Performance Contract; and the West Denver Renaissance Collaborative. He also is lead- ing the charge on ensuring DHA maintains resident services that aid in improving self-sufficiency, counseling for homeownership and financial literacy, education through Community Connec- tions, employment and training programs at Osage Café and Arts Street, digital access for residents, and aging-in-place programs. Although the list of community investments is extensive, there are a few priority projects directly in front of Nisivoccia leading us into 2022. DHA Delivers for Denver will deliver 1,300 units with $62.5 million in gap bond funding. This initiative is a key priority for the city and county of Denver and DHA as it directly responds to and attempts to meet the city’s afford- able housing needs. Currently, DHA is under construction on seven of 11 projects and 60% com- plete in meeting the requirements. Sun Valley revitalization through the Choice Neighborhoods Initia- tive is well underway and once completed will add 960 units to the Sun Valley neighborhood. Lastly, DHA is focused on ensuring all residents have a holistic com- munity living environment with access to healthy food, education and employment opportunities. Nisivoccia oversees a workforce of 365 DHA employees, an annual budget of $297 million and assets valued at $721 million. DHA serves over 25,000 residents with more than 5,400 affordable housing units and administers over 7,000 Housing Choice vouchers. s Denver Housing Authority: A year in review On-site services break down the barriers to accessing health care. Transportation can be a barrier to accessing vital health care services, so it is imperative to provide on-site wraparound services that focus on all dimensions of wellness.