The Boxwood Alliance (www.theboxwood.org) offers a free aging in place resource for older adults and their families in Northern Westchester and Putnam Counties. The idea for both the website and the not for profit organization emerged from a group of professionals in the area who work with older adults, including an elder law attorney, a long term care insurance planner, a geriatric care manager, a nurse executive, and others. They had met in a geriatric coalition and decided to put their combined resources and information together in one place. Catherine Wynkoop of Pound Ridge helped to get the process started and is now the board chairman.
“We chose the name ‘Boxwood’ because the plant is resilient and widespread in the region,” Wynkoop said. “Bedford’s Dick Farrell, a Boxwood co-founder, came up with the name as a symbol of longevity and something connected to this area.”
Vice-chairman J Donna Sullivan of Somers stated that the goal was to have a single resource for individuals and families who are often overwhelmed when they realize they need help. “Too often we have families coming to us in ‘crisis’ mode. We are building this website to be a useful resource for planning and a place to go for reliable information about options.”
To gain access to all the features of the site, including up to date feeds from national news carriers like the New York Times New Old Age Blog and Medicare Rights, users are invited to become a member. Membership is free. In addition, members are able to post comments and ask questions on the Community Forum page. On the Community Connections page, they can share recommendations and rate their experiences with local businesses and vendors.
This fall, the Boxwood Alliance is coordinating Active Aging Week across upper Westchester and Putnam Counties during the week of September 23- 29. “We are reaching out to all the older adult programs and services across the region to join in celebrating the wealth of choices for remaining actively engaged,” said Wynkoop. The Boxwood Alliance will feature these local events on its website and will promote them across the region. Agencies and organization that wish to be included can reach the organization by email at:info@theboxwood.org or by calling 914-764-3014