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Barbara B. Pieper, PhD, RN and Kathleen Johnson, MS, RN. Nursing Department, The Sage Colleges, 45 Ferry St, Troy, NY 12180, 518-244-2045, piepeb@sage.edu

Sustaining and supporting the elderly, particularly the frail elderly, in their homes and communities continues to challenge traditional health care systems. This paper describes a faith-based, interdisciplinary initiative designed to help older adults, mainly African Americans living in the inner city, access needed health and social services after 3 years of service. The Neighborhood Health Advocate Program (NHAP) is a community partnership including universities, and a variety of agencies to create a program to reduce or delay institutionalization and hospitalization of inner city elderly, and maintain older adults in their communities. Lay advocates became the mainstay of this joint project by providing a link to health and social services for older adults. Descriptions of the early establishment of the program, the work and training of the lay advocates, and the evaluation interviews with the lay advocates are highlighted. Particular emphasis is on the strategies used to help lay advocates develop their role in the community and what the lay advocates found helpful in carrying out their mission. Also included are the qualitative evaluation strategies used in the program.

Learning Objectives: