On January 23, the Marin County Board of Supervisors proclaimed that 2018 is the “Year of the Older Adult”. Given that 27% of Marin’s residents are 60 or older–making Marin the oldest county in the Bay Area–and that this percentage is on track to be 34% in just 13 years, this recognition of older adults is timely.
January 23, 2018 Board of Supervisor Meeting: Agenda item to adopt a resolution proclaiming 2018 the Year of the Older Adult in Marin.
Older adults are valued because of their contributions, vitality and wisdom leavened by changing times, circumstances and hard-won experience. Marin’s older adults are active as consultants and volunteers in agencies and organizations across the county. The cultural arts thrive with the creative ventures of older residents, and our local economy benefits.
Supervisor Dennis Rodoni, Joe O’Hehir CEO Whistlestop & AAI Steering Committee Chair, Lee Pullen, Director of Area Agency on Aging/Adult Social Services & AAI Steering Committee; Linda Jackson, AAI Program Director, Salamah Locks Commission on Aging Chair, Jim Monson Commission on Aging, and Supervisor Kate Sears.
At the same time, the growing population of people 60 and older presents challenges: people can fall down, worry about financial security, experience financial abuse, live in loneliness, or suffer from memory loss. Members of the Aging Action Initiative are drawing together to plan for how to best serve increasing numbers of people with varied needs, financial circumstances, and living situations. The Year of the Older Adult is our chance to focus on the vitality, contributions and challenges of being older in Marin.
What does this mean for your organization?
You can use the Year of the Older Adult logo and goals to highlight your programs and events. You can plan activities aligned with the themes for the months above. You can come to an AAI convening. And, you can attend the workshops and activities of others in the AAI network. We have a lot to learn and celebrate this year.
The Year of the Older Adult comes with a calendar of activities throughout 2018:
Each month will feature an aspect of the diverse world of being older in Marin
February is Age-Friendly month, recognizing the dynamic work across Marin to create Age-Friendly plans for each of Marin’s 12 jurisdictions:
Age-Friendly Corte Madera Strategic Plan (2017)
Age-Friendly Fairfax Community Assessment and Strategic Action Plan (2017)
Age-Friendly Sausalito Community Action Plan (2016)
Nearly all of Marin’s other cities and towns have started their plans. The highlight in February will be an Age-Friendly presentation on Wednesday, February 28 as part of the monthly meeting of the Marin County Mayors & City Councilmembers. For more information email mccmcsecretary@gmail.com.
Other highlights this year are:
March Civic Engagement with the Commission of Aging on March 1
April Reframing Aging and Equity at AAI’s Spring Convening
May 80 Over 80 Art Exhibition (opens April 18) and Mother Lear (April 24 and May 8) both at the Marin Center
June Outside for All Ages, with Parks and Open Space
July County Fair “All for One; Fun for All”
August “Kick Up Your Heels” fun events across Marin
September Generations Together
October Marin Senior Fair
November/December Policy Summit at AAI’s Fall Convening
Check out the (startup) website, and share your Year of the Older Adult activities.
Affiliated with the year’s activities, AAI will host two convenings. This spring we will come together to talk about ‘reframing’ aging, and define the equity issues for older adults. To wrap up the Year of the Older Adult, AAI will convene a Policy Summit to look at next year. After a year of insight, reflection, celebration and awareness, the community will come together to identify what we must do to ensure that every older resident in Marin has what is needed to live long and live well.
The Year of the Older Adult goals are:
- Promote Marin as a great place to grow older.
- Bring all ages together to understand and celebrate the social, cultural and economic contributions of Marin’s older adults.
- Raise community awareness of ageism affecting the opportunities that an older population brings to Marin.
- Align and showcase collaborations between and among neighbors, businesses, government, education and community organizations to expand opportunities for older adults.
- Identify new strategies, programs, and resources to support and address the needs of Marin’s older population.
Thanks to the County of Marin for this opportunity to make the most of our collective work for older adults in Marin.
To receive updates on the activities and programs of the Marin Year of the Older Adult, subscribe to the AAI newsletter or visit marinyearoftheolderadult.org.
