Overview
The Adirondack region is known for its tranquility and its separation from large population centers. It is why most people move to this area and enjoy that space. However, access to healthcare resources within rural communities has been a problem since the beginning of settlers moving into the area and is a major challenge that faces our communities in modern times. Our senior citizen population especially face difficulties with healthcare access that is an hour or more away. LivingADK realizes this is a large and multi-faceted problem, one that cannot be solved by one solution alone, but with many different concerted efforts involving multiple healthcare providers, social service resources, developers, towns, counties and healthcare professionals.
The LivingADK Healthcare Committee is comprised of local and regional providers, county representatives and concerned citizens. The Committee has collaborated with Mohawk Valley Health System (MVHS) to support wound care, telehealth access to specialists and cardiac monitoring equipment access through their Old Forge Primary Care office. The Committee is currently working with MVHS and the Old Forge Volunteer Ambulance Corps through a pilot program funded through a grant from the Mother Cabrini Foundation called Rural Healthcare Partners. The pilot invitation came from the Home Care Association of New York State and the Iroquois Health Association. Started in early summer 2025, the Rural Healthcare Partner EMT's commenced seeing northern Oneida county and northern Herkimer county clients within Old Forge Ambulance's service region. Clients are referred by MVHS primary care physicians and hospital discharge planners. The goal is to reduce non-urgent ambulance transports, provide more consistent access to visiting nurse services, and connect clients to their providers while visiting them in their homes. This social interaction allows the EMT to gauge if the client needs additional social service, educational or food security referrals.
In January, 2026, as a result of a 3-year grant from the Adirondack Community Foundation, LivingADK hired a part-time Community Resource Navigator (CRN) to improve the Social Safety Net of our region. With the help of our collaborative partners, Old Forge Library, Niccolls Memorial Presbyterian Church, Town of Webb School, View Arts and Community Wellness Partners, this CRN will connect residents to local, county and state resources as well as identify social isolation challenges and work to mitigate them. The CRN will serve residents from Woodgate up through Raquette Lake.
To attract and keep year-round residents it is essential that we have services that support the people who live here. Senior services and health care are top priority and LivingADK and its Healthcare Committee intend on helping to shore up access in the Western Central Adirondacks.
Highlights
- Healthcare Committee comprised of current and retired medical professionals, local officials and stakeholders.
- LivingADK collaborated on bringing a Mobile Mammogram van to Old Forge for annual screenings quarterly.
- Worked with MVHS to reinstate X-ray services in Old Forge.
- Three locations for telehealth; MVHS Old Forge office, Old Forge Library and Inlet Town Hall.
- We support MVHS in their goal of ultrasound services and expanded hours to Old Forge.
"Wellness is a connection of paths between Knowledge and Action"
-Joshua Holtz
Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Ducks are available for purchase starting Memorial Day weekend up until the day of the event on the Sunday of Labor Day weekend. They are available for purchase at the Town of Webb Visitor Center, at the Friday Old Forge Farmers Market LivingADK booth, as well as 9 am - 4:30 pm, M-F at the LivingADK office at the rear of the Adirondack Bank building, 108 Codling Street, Old Forge, NY.
Ducks can be adopted for $5 for a single duck or a Flock of 5 ducks for $20. Our generous local business donate 18 fabulous prizes.
LivingADK, through donations and membership dues, does not have money that it gives out for funding as a grant. Instead, LivingADK is a clearing house that helps organizations in the community to write grants and acquire funding through other sources such as state, federal and other non-profit funding sources.
LivingADK has a wide network of contacts across the Adirondack park, where possible we can be a resource in connecting businesses across the region with similar needs to help increase communication. In the past we have helped to get grant funding to help begin new upstart businesses, to supplement the cost of businesses that want to upgrade their energy efficiency, and to revitalize targeted groups of businesses in the same town area. Reach out to us and let us see how we can help you to plant your seed or to grow!
Although LivingADK operates generally in the Towns of Forestport, Webb, Inlet, Long Lake and up to Indian Lake, LivingADK is a resource of the greater Adirondack community and is willing to work to help organizations or partner with organizations outside of this area, especially concerning regional projects.
LivingADK is a membership organization and receives funding through annual membership fees, donations, townships that we operate in, foundation grants and donor advised funds as well as our annual fundraisers. Lastly, LivingADK earns money through grant administration for a percentage of a grant award if an organization so chooses to hire LivingADK to do so.
Generally, LivingADK does not charge for help in grant location or grant application help. However, LivingADK does offer the services of administering a grant if one is awarded for a percentage of the awarded grant if an organization chooses to use LivingADK for this service.
LivingADK has various committees in which we are always looking for members including the Housing Committee, Healthcare Committee, Community Development Committee and soon to have a committee tasked with Environmental Sustainability. There are also annual opportunities to join the LivingADK board, in some cases, if you would like to be more directly involved with the actual not-for-profit. Reach out to info@livingadk.org or call us at 315.369.3353 for more information and to get involved. Lastly, a donation to LivingADK helps the organization continue to do great work in the community so don't overlook that type of contribution as involvement.
The "From Farm to Forge" Cookbook can be purchased at the Old Forge Farmers Market on Fridays, 1 pm to 5 pm from June through October 8th. They can also be purchased at the LivingADK office, 9 am - 4:30 pm, M-F at the rear of the Adirondack Bank building, 108 Codling Street, Old Forge, NY. Cookbooks are available while supplies last.
