Serene Karplus,  Nederland.   Mountain older adults have an excellent opportunity next week to ensure their voices are heard regarding the direction of the county agency that serves us. We encourage everyone (both older adults and those who love them) to step up and speak up in the preparation of the four-year Age Well Strategic Plan.

The Boulder County Area Agency on Aging (BCAAA) is the primary sponsor of our Nederland Area Seniors and Mountain MidLife meal programs, as they grant funds from the Older Americans Act funneled through the State Unit on Aging. The agency also provides our Mountain Options Counselor Colleen Sinclair, who helps numerous people with everything from food stamps and utilities to Medicare and referrals to many support organizations and agencies.

The BCAAA provides funds to many of the organizations and services that help older adults, people with disabilities, and their caregivers. Services range from caption telephones and audio reading services to grab bar installations, transportation, legal support, dental and mental health, family caregiver training – and so much more.

Their staff and volunteers direct funds based on their four-year Age Well Strategic Plan that is prepared each cycle by interviewing hundreds of people whom they serve – the older adults throughout the county.

In order for this plan to be a success, each of us must make a personal commitment to age well. In addition, every community must recognize the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead and strive to make aging well a community priority. Information in this plan can be used to develop action steps for policy work, public information campaigns, and resource identification to fund innovative pilot projects in the community.

The Age Well plan is an invitation and a call to action for policy makers, planners, funders, service providers, faith communities, community organizations, and community members to view aging in a new and positive way, and to work together so that we may all age well.

Age Well Boulder County is an ongoing, organic process that engages community members and partner agencies to recognize the growing and vital role that older adults play in making Boulder County a wonderful place to live.

Highlights of the current Age Well plan (for more details, visit https://allagewell.com/) indicate that together, we must ensure that:

There are affordable and appropriate housing options in safe and vibrant neighborhoods;

There is an accessible network of transportation options to get people where they need to go;

Employment, volunteer, social, educational, and recreational opportunities are widely available;

Health and wellness are personal and community priorities;

There is recognition, support, and training of caregivers of older adults;

Communities, neighborhoods, and public places are created with age-friendly design principles in mind.

******

All ages of adults are welcome at all events, attended mostly by folks over age 50. Sign up for all meals and events at 303-258-0799 or Meetup.com/Mountain-MidLife-Social-Group or by email at NederlandAreaSeniors@gmail.com. Meals are served at the Nederland Community Center. Please call two days ahead for lunch reservations (more for dinners and breakfasts if possible). Missed the deadline? Call anyway. Costs listed show first the over-age-60 requested anonymous contribution, then the under-age-60 price. Please note that all over age 60 are welcome at meals regardless of ability to contribute financially.