Westchester County Executive Robert P. Astorino recognized nine students from six local colleges at the Presidents' Breakfast on Wednesday, April 3 for their work on a Think Tank project to increase transportation options for seniors and home health aides in the northeast part of the county.
Astorino presented the students with certificates of appreciation for their work.
"The county has studied the limited mobility situation in its northeast region before, but the students were able to look at the situation and make fresh, out-of-the-box ideas from their unique perspectives," he said. "They made some promising ideas, and I thank them tremendously for their work. Great job."
The Think Tank is a project of the Westchester Alliance of Academic Institutions for Aging Related Studies and Work Force Development.
"I commend the alliance for developing the Think Tank approach and for providing the students with background information from experts in the field before they began to brainstorm," Astorino said.
A key goal of the alliance is to encourage colleges and universities to offer more courses to train people to deal with the challenges the growing number of elderly confront. The alliance wants to reintroduce itself to leading area educators, and the event is called the Presidents' Breakfast because presidents and deans of local colleges have been invited to attend.
Its 30 members include businesses, not-for-profit organizations, colleges and universities.
Another key goal of the alliance is to make people aware of the many rewarding job opportunities in the so-called "Silver Industries."
Dr. Joseph N. Hankin, president of Westchester Community College, delivered the keynote address on "Creative Solutions to Responding to Needs in Westchester County."
The Westchester Alliance conducted the Think Tank project in cooperation with the county's Department of Senior Programs and Services (DSPS) and the Westchester Public/Private Partnership for Aging Services.
DSPS Commissioner Mae Carpenter said limited transportation options can lead to the isolation and loneliness for seniors.
"This is a serious issue, which should never be minimized because it can lead to depression and other problems," she said. "When seniors are mobile, however, they remain the vital people in the community that they should be."
The Think Tank project took seven weeks to complete. No tax dollars were involved.
Colette Phipps from DSPS is Westchester Alliance director. Catherine Wynkoop, an Alliance member and consultant on aging issues, is Alliance coordinator.
The colleges, names and home towns of the think tank students are:
- Cornell University: Christina Bryce, Wappinger's Falls, NY
- Fordham University Graduate School of Social Services: Carol (Cokey) Concannon, Darien, CT; Jean Wynne Fulton, Old Greenwich, CT
- Mercy College: Nikki Bonica, Tarrytown; Sara Rosa, Yonkers; Agnieszka Malinska, Putnam Valley
- Pace University: Mark Kowtko, New Jersey
- Sarah Lawrence College Graduate School of Health Advocacy: Kate Zadek, New York City
- SUNY Purchase: Suelee Cheong, New York City
Download The Think Tank report – "Driving for Solutions: Improving Older Adult and Home Care Worker Mobility in Northeast Westchester County."