In the first year of the Seniors Resource Center, the Cooperative Development Foundation is raising awareness about the cooperative home care model among cooperative developers, senior advocates, direct care workforce members and those responsible for implementing the new health reform act. There also is an emphasis on developing capacity in the cooperative development community to successfully organize new and sustainable home care cooperatives. The development of new rural home care cooperatives will bring about long-term care cost savings, enable thousands of senior citizens to enjoy independent living with quality care services, and empower working men and women to earn a living wage as member-owners of home care cooperatives. It also will contribute substantially to sustaining viable rural communities, so important to our American heritage.

CDF’s long-term goal is to establish a cooperative development center that will raise public awareness about the cooperative business model and stimulate work by the cooperative development community that results in sustainable cooperatives that provide real solutions for senior citizens living in rural communities. This Senior Resource Center will provide new opportunities for senior citizens in rural communities to benefit from new cooperative development in housing, home care and other areas that provide them with the choice and means to age in place.