A pastor and community leader in Louisville is working to boost economic development and raise the quality of life on Louisville's West end.

Jamesetta Ferguson, president and CEO of the Molo Village Community Development Corporation and senior pastor of St. Peter's United Church of Christ, started the corporation more than eight years ago as a way to address poverty, inadequate housing, limited food access and low educational attainment in the Russell neighborhood.

She said she heard the word Molo, which means welcome, on a trip to South Africa. Ferguson pointed out Russell, where she spent her childhood, is at least 90% Black, and noted most residents live below the poverty line.

"There had not been any real economic commitment to our community since the 1937 flood," Ferguson contended. "And even when commitments were made, they were not always kept."

The corporation spearheaded the development of a 30,000-foot commercial office and retail building aimed at attracting small businesses and expanding opportunities for job training and employment.

Ferguson is a recent recipient of AARP's Purpose Prize, a $50,000 award which will go toward strengthening the work of Molo Village.

Ferguson argued simply building housing is not enough to sustain communities facing complex challenges.

"We've got to make sure that the schools are up to par. We have to make sure that we are no longer a food desert, that we have a grocery store and drugstore in our community," Ferguson outlined.

She added she hopes ongoing neighborhood revitalization efforts will attract second- and third-generation community members back to the area.

"I have hope that our community will once again be a thriving community," Ferguson stressed. "But it's going to take more resources. We can't undo what was done over 75 years in just a period of 10 years."

Research has shown Community Development Corporations can contribute to local wealth building through ownership of housing and commercial real estate, and providing alternative pathways to lending and financial services for residents.

This week, four advocacy groups have filed an amicus brief in a case before the California Supreme Court involving allegations of elder abuse and the use of arbitration.

A skilled nursing facility, Country Oaks in Pomona, is trying to compel arbitration in a case where the patient, Charles Logan, gave his nephew power to sign healthcare documents but did not give him power of attorney - and later Logan sued Country Oaks, alleging negligence.

An appellate court decided the nephew had no legal standing to sign the mediation agreement as part of the intake forms.

Jessica Pezley, senior staff attorney with the advocacy group Compassion & Choices, contended the California Supreme Court should uphold that prior decision.

"The healthcare decisions law only concerns healthcare decisions," said Pezley. "It does not concern decisions affecting future legal rights. And so, when somebody signs an advance directive, nowhere in their mind, are they thinking they might be waiving their constitutional right to a jury trial."

Country Oaks argues the mediation agreement should remain in force.

Logan has since passed away. Federal policy under the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services states that mediation agreements are strictly optional and cannot be required for admission to a facility.

Pezley said corporate mediation is often weighted in favor of the defendant.

"By compelling arbitration, Logan would not have had his constitutional right to have a trial by jury," said Pezley. "Instead, he would go in front of an arbitrator, which tend to be in favor of corporations - just because corporations are the ones who are tending to use arbitration on a repeat basis."

Logan's estate is now pursuing the case. The California Supreme Court has not yet announced a hearing date.

As Connecticut and the rest of the U.S. leave the COVID-19 pandemic behind, senior centers are welcoming back participants they have not seen in a while, at least, not in person.

While senior centers across the U.S. were forced to limit their programs, they still managed to find ways to reach out to people who rely on them.

A National Council on Aging survey found senior centers help older adults feel connected, especially if they face barriers in their community.

Yvette Huyghue-Pannell, director of senior services for the Bloomfield Senior Center, noted the need for connection during the pandemic led to the creation of the Day Brighteners program.

"Someone came to your door, they rang your doorbell," Huyghue-Pannell recounted. "You weren't afraid to open the door for someone that you knew, have a brief conversation, and then in a bag -- that they either handed to you, if you felt that you could do that, gloved -- they would then hand you a bag that had some kind of treat in it."

A 2021 survey published in the Journal of American Geriatrics Society showed loneliness has been a common feeling among seniors during the pandemic. Around 23% of those surveyed reported increased loneliness or sadness, and 37% said they had greater feelings of social disconnection.

Gov. Ned Lamont has allocated $10 million for senior center improvements, $9 million to municipalities, and additional funds to the state's Department of Aging and Disability Services for statewide senior center activities.

As centers continue to rebound from the COVID crisis, Huyghue-Pannell observed people are eager to come back. She added the center is also working to accommodate lingering uneasiness about post-pandemic life.

"If you need to wear a mask, if you need to stay distant from other people, whatever way that you feel comfortable, come as you are," Huyghue-Pannell urged. "We welcome everyone, and that's always what we do."

She added hybrid programs over Zoom and in-person have become a staple of the center. Meanwhile, in-person and even some travel-abroad programs are continuing since restrictions have been lifted.

Indiana ranks closer to the bottom of U.S. states where you will find healthy seniors living than the top, according to a new report. UnitedHealthcare's 2023 Senior Report provides a portrait of health and well-being of older adults across the United States. The report marks the second consecutive year for the Hoosier state at the 35th spot. Only nine states fare worse than Indiana for early death.

Rhonda Randall, Chief Medical Officer with UnitedHealthcare, said the premature death rate - which means years lost before age 75 - has increased four percent in the nation.

"The percentage of people over the age of 65 has had a decline because of that - we still have more people turning 65 and having that birthday into their Medicare years," she said. "But it's concerning that we're losing such a significant amount of our nation's greatest treasure - right? Our seniors."

Randall added the report consists of 52 different measures of senior health across five different categories which include: socioeconomic factors, the physical environment where seniors live, the clinical care received, plus behaviors and health outcomes.

Findings suggest Indiana faces challenges with its high prevalence of obesity and physical inactivity. However, one of the state's strengths is avoiding care due to cost. Randall said this year's report finds recent shifts in long-term trends, and highlights disparities in the health of older Americans.

"This is the 2023 edition of America's health ranking Senior Report. It's the eleventh time that the United Health Foundation has published a report specifically on the health of older Americans. It's built on over three decades of America's health ranking data," she added.