UCHRA Working To Expand CHOICES Program Allowing Elderly To Age in Place

UCHRA expanding CHOICES program to allow elderly to age in their own homes.

Community Services Manager Jennifer Knepp said the program provides long term support for the aging and vulnerable to allow them to continue their daily activities in the familiarity of their own home. Knepp said TCAT and the Tennessee Board of Regents had recently been cooperating to schedule student training to provide support for the program.

“So we’re working on a partnership there to where maybe they can come to work at our agency in one of our counties, part time, TRN, whatever they need,” Knepp said. “Help them further their education and still provide for their family.”

Knepp said the cooperative effort helps everyone. She said the arrangement provides income for the health professional students working with the program, support for the CHOICES staff, and care for the aging or vulnerable population that requires assistance.

Knepp said among other assistance, TCAT students may help with food preparation for an adult with limited mobility, perhaps in a wheelchair or using a cane or even in the stage of life where they simply can not stand long enough to prepare their food at the stove.

“I want to thank TCAT for helping us to entice people into this profession,” Knepp said. “Because to be fair it’s not very glamorous, and not a lot of people understand what it is or want to do that or maybe they don’t understand enough about it.”

Knepp said there are three levels of service available from CHOICES. She said those interested in the service either for themselves or an elderly or vulnerable person in their life, can reach out to

Knepp said that as a service provider she was always looking for staff to help the aged in their homes. She said she encourages interested people to check out the opportunity on UCHRA.com/careers under the job title Home Care Specialist.