Strategic Action Planning Group on Aging (SAPGA) Regional Meeting June 22, 2021
Strategic Action Planning Group on Aging (SAPGA) Regional Meeting June 22, 2021
The goal for this meeting was to learn what the southwest communities’ issues are. There were 3 attendees from those communities, and they expressed specific problems their communities were experiencing.
Jarrett Hughes, Governor’s Senior Policy Advisor on Aging, spoke about the Lifelong Colorado State Plan. They are working across agencies, local governments, faith-based groups to support families as the population ages.
- Seniors need access to outdoor space & buildings, transportation, respect & social inclusion, communication & information, civic participation & employment, community support & health services, housing, and social participation.
- Local steps include an assessment of needs then, a plan for action
- Age-friendly public health is lacking in the rural areas of Colorado
- CDPHE is drawing on money from the CDC for health services: geriatric providers, loan repayment program for education of direct care workforce
Speaker Lorrie Valencia, Southwest Center for Independence, spoke of how they’re helping persons with disabilities lead independent lives, includes seniors. This was work on reservations.
Lisa Sullivan, Community Engagement Office of NextFifty Initiative told us they were a private grant-making organization. They have opportunities now for the Community Response Fund that are focused on rural nonprofits.
