Every day, 10,000 people in the United States turn 65 years of age. They’re among the 64 million Americans born between 1946 and 1964, the generation known as the Baby Boomers. Concurrently, our community includes an unprecedented number of residents age 85 and older.
As the Area Agency on Aging for Santa Barbara County, so appointed by the state of California, the Central Coast Commission for Senior Citizens helps all older persons, from those who are relatively young to those who are very senior. We want to be sure our senior citizens have the information to make the best decisions possible for themselves and their families. We consider, for example, the needs of a 65-year-old who is looking for an exercise program to maintain his healthy and active lifestyle and is also responsible for the care of his 93-year-old mother.
To be an informed older person and/or family caregiver, get a copy of the Santa Barbara County Senior Resource Directory—it’s free. Available throughout the area, this directory has information about significant issues we all face as we age, as well as listings for local resources for assistance. Sometimes the assistance is free, sometimes there is a request for a donation, and sometimes there is a fee. Santa Barbara County provides services to help older persons be safe and secure in their homes and retain their independence with dignity.
Many Baby Boomers have concerns about eldercare for their parents as well as seeking services for themselves. The Central Coast Commission for Senior Citizens website is an excellent online resource at centralcoastseniors.org. Medicare was created to help older persons maintain their health, and it has been very successful, so naturally Medicare is central to a successful retirement. However, Medicare is a complex program. To understand Medicare, how to supplement it, and to comprehend insurance options for long-term care, consult the staff of our Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program at our office at 528 S. …Broadway in Santa Maria. Whether you are new to Medicare or want to rethink your choices or need to select a prescription drug plan each year, contact HICAP. HICAP doesn’t sell any products or services: The goal is education and information.
There are many other issues that face senior citizens, their families, and caregivers. Information about these issues and resources is also available by telephone. Senior Connection, a specialized information and referral service for senior citizens and their caregivers, is available to provide unbiased information. Just dial 928-2552 and you’ll be connected to all the information and resources available in the Santa Maria Valley area and beyond.
Many retirees want to continue to contribute to the community through volunteering. There are many opportunities. Our commission—which sponsors the Area Agency on Aging, HICAP, and Senior Connection—has volunteer jobs in each of these services. Consider joining us in an upcoming training program and becoming a volunteer. Our work is the direct result of federal legislation, created in 1975, which recognized the nation would experience a great increase in the number of older persons. The Area Agency on Aging program was created to plan for the aging of our communities.
This Area Agency on Aging works with many local private and public entities to create a “senior-friendly” community. This includes advocacy with our local legislators to address the needs of older persons and the support of programs and services to enhance the safety of all our residents.
For more information about services for older adults, help with Medicare, or volunteering to improve our community’s response to the “age wave,” contact Joyce Ellen Lippman at the Central Coast Commission for Senior Citizens, 528 S. Broadway, Santa Maria, 925-9554.
Joyce Ellen Lippman is the executive director of Central Coast Commission for Senior Citizens. Send comments via the opinion editor at econnolly@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Jun 16-23, 2011.