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WNC Aging Updates
July 21, 2025
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Aging Related Resources, Volunteer Opportunities,
Events, Funding Opportunities, Reoccurring Events,
and Job Openings
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We at Land of Sky Regional Council are honored to have received three NADO Impact Awards for the following projects:
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Land of Sky Regional Council, The Remembrance Project
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Land of Sky Regional Council, Energy and Communications After a Storm
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Land of Sky Regional Council, Senior Companion Program Caregiver Project
To learn more about these projects visit the StoryMap 2025 NADO Awards
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BUNCOMBE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
The Buncombe County Sheriff's Office, utilizing the Friends Against Fraud video produced by the Buncombe County Elder Justice Coalition, is conducting presentations in the community about how to keep your personal information safe and will also include best practices to avoid common types of fraud. If you are interested in scheduling a meeting at your organization, your church, social hall/clubhouse, or homeowners’ meeting, please contact Rob Fillhaber at Robert.Fillhaber@buncombenc.gov.
| | See https://heliummobile.com/. Helium Mobile offers a free plan with limited voice and data but also offers low-cost plans with more data/minutes. | | |
Each session will include:
- Welcome message from project leadership and workgroup leads.
- Presentations from state and/or national leaders offering insights aligned with the group’s focus area.
- Updates from subgroup leaders about key Year 1 priority recommendations and implementation goals, following each of their June meetings.
- Open Q&A where all attendees, including those not currently active in subgroups, can ask questions, share ideas, or raise implementation considerations.
Note: In the next few newsletters, we will be sharing a closer look at the presentations our guest speakers will be giving. Stay tuned for more details on their presentation topics. In the meantime, please scroll down to read their bios.
This is a great opportunity to understand where the work is headed, how to get involved, and how policy and systems are being shaped across North Carolina to support aging across the lifespan. If you have any questions about the quarterly meetings and forthcoming quarterly progress reports, reach out to Divya Venkataganesan, divya.venkataganesan@dhhs.nc.gov and Caylee Weaver, Caylee.weaver@dhhs.nc.gov
We encourage anyone working in aging or intersecting sectors to attend, whether you are deeply involved or just beginning to engage.
Optimizing Health and Well-Being
July 23, 10:00–11:30a.m.
Guest Speakers: Trish Farnham (NC Center for Workforce for Health) and Kezia Scales (PHI), as well as Rosa Plasencia and Dorothy Hiersteiner from the National Core Indicators - Aging and Disability team at ADvancing States and HSRI, who will provide a preview of the upcoming State of the Workforce survey that North Carolina will be participating in to support workforce efforts across the state.
Register Here
Affording Aging
July 24,10:00-11:30 a.m.
Guest Speakers: Bob Blancato (Matz, Blancato & Associates)
Register Here
Supporting Older Adults and Families
July 30, 10:00–11:30a.m.
Guest Speakers: Karen Appert and Heather Altman (NC Caregiving Collaborative)
Register Here
| | Join the Community Connections on July 25th | | |
Land of Sky Regional Council is hosting the regional convening of the Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Resource Center on Friday, August 1st. Called Bridging Rural Communities: Telehealth Innovations for Appalachia and Beyond, this full-day event will bring together professionals, policymakers, and program leaders committed to improving rural health through innovative telehealth solutions. There are currently 25 sites across Appalachia, and Land of Sky in Asheville is the regional site for Western North Carolina counties (Avery, Burke & Rutherford are the most eastern) and the Qualla Boundary.
Featuring short and engaging (think TED-style) remote talks clustered around Appalachia’s top health priorities—mental health, diabetes, substance use disorder, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and emergency preparedness—each session will highlight effective strategies, lessons learned, and actionable insights. Attendees will then participate in facilitated discussions to identify best practices, contributing to a published proceedings in the Journal of Appalachian Health. Join us to connect, learn, and shape the future of telehealth in Appalachia and beyond.
You can see the agenda here and lunch will be provided for all attendees. CEUs are available. This is a real opportunity to consider the practice and future of telemedicine in our region, particularly in the aftermath of Helene.
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August Money Follows the Person (MFP) Lunch and Learn (Topic: Understanding Dementia)
3rd Quarter MFP Roundtable (IN PERSON EVENT)
- Date: Friday August 15, 2025
- Time: 9:00 – 1:00
- Location: MAHEC (121 Hendersonville Road, Asheville, NC 28803)
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Registration Link: https://forms.office.com/g/zCtJCQ8rz0 (Registration required to get proper headcount for seating)
- Description: This session will focus on issues surrounding transportation and the agenda is currently being planned.
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Aging Well Together:
Understanding and Preventing Loneliness
10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m., Wednesday, August 13th
Dr. Megan Smith
Assistant Teaching Professor in Sociology
UNC Charlotte
Loneliness is a growing concern among older adults, impacting not only emotional well-being but also physical and mental health. This webinar explores the complexities of loneliness in later life and provides practical strategies to foster meaningful connections, promote resilience, and enhance overall quality of life. Key highlights of the webinar include understanding loneliness and social isolation, physical and mental health outcomes, developing and maintaining social connections and creating purpose and engagement to move through loneliness. Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of the factors contributing to loneliness and actionable steps to build and foster meaningful relationships. Join us in fostering a community where aging is not synonymous with isolation and loneliness, but with connection, purpose, and vitality.
If you have questions, please reach out to Caitlin McElrath at cmcelrath@centralina.org.
Register for our August Session
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2025 SE4A Conference in Savannah
Early Bird Registration Deadline Extended to Friday, July 25 -
Register Now and Save
Register today and join us for an educational and inspiring conference focused on aging and wellness. Wellness on My Mind is coming to the historic city of Savannah, GA, and you don’t want to miss it!
The 2025 SE4A Conference will be held Sunday, September 14 - Wednesday, September 17 at the Hyatt Regency Savannah in Savannah, Georgia.
The early bird conference registration rate has been extended to Friday, July 25 so take advantage of the discount and register today!
Featured speakers include Davin Salvagno (helping you identify your professional and personal purpose), MT Connally (introducing cutting edge elder justice interventions), Dr. James Lah (updating the latest developments in Brain Health), and national leaders (updating us on the latest in federal policy).
Conference attendees and colleagues from across the nine-state region of Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia; and from across the country will join us in Georgia as we highlight many of the innovations in the field of aging.
About the Conference:
One of the major goals established for the Southeastern Association of Area Agencies on Aging (SE4A) was to coordinate an Annual Training Conference. This has been continued throughout the existence of the Association and provides the mechanisms necessary to promote skill development, professional knowledge, best practice sharing, and information exchange.
We are looking forward to continued learning and collaboration at the 2025 conference!
Register Now for the 2025 SE4A Conference
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Save the Date!
NC Fall Prevention Conference
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September 19, 2025
- Co-Hosted by MAHEC and Western NC Falls Prevention Coalition, Asheville, NC
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Information here
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Save the Date!
9th Annual Dr. Suzanne Landis Geriatric Summit – Mentation Matters (prevent, identify, treat, and manage dementia, depression, and delirium across setting of care)
- Hosted by MAHEC, Asheville, NC
- More information to come.
- November 14, 2025
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From Dogwood Health Trust:
RFP Opens July 7: Investing in Community Supports for Older Adults
Older adults (ages 60+) enrich our families and communities with wisdom, experience and meaningful contributions. Like many communities across the U.S., the population in Western North Carolina (WNC) is aging, with one in five adults over age 65.
Hurricane Helene exposed and intensified existing challenges for older adults, their families, their caregivers, and the organizations that serve them. Meeting basic needs (e.g., food security, transportation), housing concerns (e.g., affordability, maintenance, safety), isolation and mental health needs have grown in the aftermath of the storm and require continued attention and support as communities recover and rebuild.
With Dogwood Health Trust’s purpose rooted in the health and wellbeing of all people and communities in the 18 counties and Qualla Boundary of WNC, we are opening a special funding opportunity focused on supporting and expanding opportunities for low- to moderate-income older adults and those who care for them.
Applications will be accepted between July 7 to Aug. 4, 2025. Organizations can apply for either general operating support or project/program support. In the meantime, please review additional details, application questions and FAQs on our website. If you have questions, please email impactgrants@dht.org.
Learn More About the RFP
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Virtual Company Sessions - Mondays & Saturdays. 3:00pm
Starts July 15, 2024 03:00 PM ET
Bettie Council lionessdear@yahoo.com
| | Senior Care Professionals meet monthly on the 4th Monday 11:00-1:00 at Land of Sky Regional Council office for educational opportunities and to network. Anyone who works with older adults/caregivers is welcomed to attend. Yearly membership dues are $75 dollars July-June. Contact Sherrye Perry at 828-273-7306 or sherrye.perry@gmail.com for more information. First meeting is free to join and lunch is always provided! | | Parkinson’s Support Group of Asheville meets the first Tuesday of each month at the Groce United Methodist Church, 954 Tunnel Road at 10:00am and is open to all members of our community. We began with a period of socializing where one can talk about their problems or issues with their peers and receive great information, support, and learn they are not alone in dealing with their disease. The second part of the meeting is a program related to some aspect of dealing with Parkinson’s. The meeting is open, and all members of our community are welcome to join us. People interested in more information can email parkinsonavl@gmail.com with your questions. | | |
The state of North Carolina is hiring a State Long-Term Ombudsman The application is open until Thursday, August 7, 2025. Please consider applying if you are interested in fulfilling this most important role in the lives of our state’s long-term care residents and their families.
https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/northcarolina/jobs/5002823
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Working at Land of Sky
Land of Sky Regional Council prides itself on providing outstanding benefits that support individual achievement while building a team environment. In addition to the traditional benefits of health and life insurance, retirement, and a robust paid leave plan, staff also have options for a more flexible schedule which includes tele-working as appropriate. Our family-friendly atmosphere ensures staff have every opportunity to prioritize and build a positive work-life balance.
Benefits
- Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
- Retirement and 401K Plans
- Life Insurance • Supplemental Insurance
- Long Term Disability Leave
- Paid Time Off • Paid Holidays
- Compensation/Reimbursement for Eligible Travel
Our Core Values
- Regionalism
- Well-Being of the Region: Healthy People • Healthy Economy • Healthy Ecosystems
- Family-Friendly Work Environment
- Leadership, Teamwork and Creativity
- Fiscal Accountability
- Continuous Improvement and Self-Renewal
- Excellence in Public Service
- Technical Competence
- Compassion
- Strong Local Governments
Job Openings
Project Manager - Housing Rehabilitation
Position - Full Time with Benefits
Starting Salary - $55,000
Closing Date - Open until filled
Land of Sky Regional Council is currently seeking an energetic, self-motivated, and detail-oriented candidate for the position of Project Manager. This position has a housing focus, particularly on housing repair and rehabilitation for residents with high support needs including older adults and adults with disabilities. It is funded through the HUD Older Adults Home Modification Program and the NC Housing Finance Agency Essential Single-Family Rehabilitation (ESFR) program.
Regional Planner I or II
Position - Full Time with Benefits
Starting Salary - $56,148 – $77,381
Closing Date - Open until filled
Land of Sky Regional Council is currently seeking an energetic, self-motivated, and detail-oriented candidate for the position of Regional Planner I or II (depending on experience). This position involves technical planning knowledge related to land use and comprehensive planning as well as zoning administration and code enforcement. It also involves project development, grant writing, grant administration and project management for water and sewer; parks and recreation; and other public infrastructure needs.
Workforce Finance Specialist
Position - Full Time with Benefits
Starting Salary - $56,148
Closing Date - Open until filled
Land of Sky Regional Council is seeking a qualified individual for the position of Workforce Finance Specialist. The position performs responsible paraprofessional accounting functions for the finance operations in the Workforce Department. An employee in this class is responsible for performing accounts payable, data entry for general ledger, generating a variety of financial reports, and performing related fiscal duties. Work involves applying established accounting procedures, principles of bookkeeping, and basic fund accounting to the review and processing of accounting documents.
How to Apply
To apply for job openings at Land of Sky Regional Council, please complete and send ALL of the following:
- Resume
- Cover Letter
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Completed Job Application - Download and save to your local device before completing. You must have Adobe Reader to open the application. To download: www.adobe.com
Email: info@landofsky.org
Mail or drop off in-person at: Land of Sky Regional Council 339 New Leicester Hwy., Suite 140, Asheville, NC 28806
Fax to: 828-251-6353
EOE/AA/ADA Employer
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Area Agency on Aging (AAA)
Mission:
The AAA is a regional leader and catalyst in supporting older adults
to lead more independent, vibrant lives.
“Advocacy, Assistance and Answers”
Vision:
"Everyone in our region can age with dignity, purpose and connection to community.”
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