Since the early 1990's Memorial Health System has been working towards "creating a healthy community" here in South Bend, Indiana. The concept of a "healthy community" emerged as a result of the hospital's examination of its role as a health care provider. The hospital learned, by looking beyond its walls, that non-medical issues such as, employment, education, housing, and transportation, impact the health status of our community. From this knowledge, a new, broader concept of health care was formed. This concept has since been woven into Memorial Health System's mission. Memorial believes that a "healthy community " is as much a social, economic and environmental issue as it is a medical one. "We have a broad definition of health, "says Barbara Wheeler, Memorial Hospital's Planning Director, "We go beyond medical issues and include social, mental and spiritual elements, We believe that if people live in a nice place, if they feel safe, they will have a better quality of life and, ultimately, be healthier."

Memorial Health System President & CEO, Phil Newbold, maintains that in order to create a healthier community, "We must recognize the gaps in services and begin to develop partnerships which will help to fill those gaps." One way in which Memorial has discovered those gaps has been through their 66 community plunge" initiative.

It all started in 1989 when Phil Newbold wanted to know more about older adult's needs. He began to ask questions about what types of services were presently available; what did seniors really need and care about; what misconceptions and myths about seniors were roadblocks to senior health; what could the hospital do to make things better; and, what current informal senior networks were already bolstering the community? In order to find the answers to these questions, Phil suggested gathering people together who were addressing senior needs within the larger community. The gathering was designed to take an inventory and to find out what, if any, gaps existed and to gain a greater awareness about the community and its needs. He had used a similar approach in Oklahoma City and it helped accomplished several goals: to identify existing assets, resources and services; to breakdown barriers and stereotypes; and, to bring people together to partner in addressing issues. This is what became know as the "Aging Plunge."

Aging Plunge Objectives

These objectives define the Aging Plunge as a tool for education, market research, team building and relationship building.

to provide better awareness and understanding of services provided by the community for older adults;

to identify service gaps, and explore unmet needs for the elderly in the community;

to listen, participate and learn from the consumers of older adult services;

to build a base of support within the hospital's board, medical staff and administrators for older adults programs; and,

to build bridges for future cooperative efforts between the community. aging resources and Memorial Hospital.

The Aging Plunge results helped form what is now the Leighton Center for Senior Health, a Memorial Health System facility which is dedicated to older adult programming and services. Margo Demont, Ph.D., Director of Senior Services remembers, "When I came to Memorial in 1989 there was lot a trepidation and skepticism about senior programming. The Aging Plunge helped breakdown barriers, build awareness and developed a coalition of supporters." In fact, the Aging Plunge built important new relationships within the community, among the participants, with service providers and even future funders.

An entire day was dedicated to the Aging Plunge. The participants visited eight community-based programs which included; the Area Agency on Aging; a seniors' educational/enrichment institute; a comprehensive senior activity center; a small neighborhood senior center; an adult day care; a retirement community; the country home for indigent aged; and, a church-sponsored extended care facility. The sites were chosen for the uniqueness and the richness of their offerings, and for their potential for cooperative partnership programming with Memorial's Senior Services.