lightbulb  Mission: 
Our mission: To dedicate leadership and resources to helping secure Denton County as a "Elder Friendly & Senior Ready" place offering sustainable, appropriate, affordable, accessible and adequate housing, community services and transportation to a growing population of seniors while meeting the future needs all age segments of our growing population. A vision: 100% Access & 0% Disparity!
All are welcome to join us in Senior's Advocacy in Denton County
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HOUSING            COMMUNITY SERVICES            TRANSPORTATION
checkmark  Define Advocacy for seniors in Denton County in a planning framework.
checkmark  History of Advocacy in the context of the Older Americans Act and the Aging Network.
checkmark  Who are we and what are we going to do.
Framework documents:
right arrow  Advocacy for seniors in Denton County:
      >>> HTML  html  Version <<< ---- >>> PDF  pdf  Version <<<
right arrow   The Aging Network:
      ---- >>> PDF  pdf  File <<<
      GOALS:
           checkmark  .. To address the basic needs of our elder population.
           checkmark  .. To optimize the physical and mental health and the well-being of elder population.
           checkmark  .. To maximize the independence of our elder population.
           checkmark  .. To promote social and civic engagement that benefits our community while enhancing the lives of seniors,
                     .. .. including lifelong-learning, meaningful employment and volunteerism.
     And to address these goals under three focus areas: Housing, Community Services and Transprotation.

In keeping with the values adopted in the Older American’s Act, and as participants in The Aging Network, one of our first priorities is to create an atmosphere of planning by including stakeholders from all sectors of our community, and build on private/public and not-for-profit partnerships collaborating to challenge issues that threaten the wellbeing and sustainability of our community, now and in the future. We will develop an agenda for leadership for advocacy in the context of implementation of Older American Act services to priority populations, with consideration of AAA strategic plan objectives for the purpose of developing local strategies in three areas: Housing, Community Services and Transportation, that will make, and sustain, Denton County as an Elder Friendly and Senior Ready place to live.
FYI: DADS Aging Texas Well (15 1-page fact sheets.)
Domains of Senior Wellbeing (trends - policies, programs & services - how to get involved) Source:  right arrow   pdf logo   www gif   http://www.dads.state.tx.us/ ATW Kit
"The Aging Texas Well (ATW) program helps ensure that Texans prepare individually for aging in all aspects of life and that state and local infrastructure— laws, policies, and services — support aging well throughout the lifespan." (ATW mission statement) DADS Aging Texas Well:   www gif   right arrow   http://www.agingtexaswell.org/
Related research:

"Unless Federal and State housing, income, and community care programs are significantly expanded, communities will face ever-increasing burden in meeting the needs of those who are isolated, have low incomes, and/or at risk of premature institutionalization." (p.16 2008-2010 Strategic Plan)
Area Agency on Aging of North Central Texas:
  www gif   right arrow   2008-2010 Area Plan (122pp - PDF file - May 2007)
"...to promote the development of a comprehensive and coordinated system of home and community-based long-term care that is responsive to the needs and preferences of older people and their family caregivers." (p.3)
U.S. Administration on Aging
  www gif   right arrow   2007-2012 Strategic Plan (22pp - PDF file - April 2007)
"The Congress hereby finds and declares that, in keeping with the traditional American concept of the inherent dignity of the individual in our democratic society, the older people of our Nation are entitled to, and it is the joint and several duty and responsibility of the governments of the United States, of the several States and their political subdivisions, and of Indian tribes to assist our older people to secure equal opportunity to the full and free enjoyment of the following objectives:" (§ 3001)
OLDER AMERICANS ACT:
  www gif   right arrow   The AoA gateway to the OAA amendments of 2006
  www gif   right arrow   OAA at Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
"All Texans age well through personal preparation with a variety of choices that support their well-being, hope, dignity, respect and independence. ..."
(Vision Statement for an Aging Texas)
The Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services:
  www gif   right arrow   DADS - http://www.dads.state.tx.us/
Related WWW Sites:

Denton County Geriatric Services Workgroup
www gif   right arrow   http://dentoncountyseniorservices.org
Geriatric Services Workgroup - Housing Taskforce Webpage:
www gif   right arrow   http://www.dentoncountyseniorservices.org/housing.html
Frances Perkins Social Security: A Brief History booklet ( Aug. 2005 36-pp PDF )
+ More history from http://www.socialsecurity.gov/history

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VOTE on this Question:
Regarding Seniors in Denton County - for now and in the future,
in what area(s) is advocacy most needed?
        checkmark  Housing
        checkmark  Community Services
        checkmark  Transportation
        checkmark  All three are needed
Vote
Links RE: Advocacy

Dallas AGE (Advocacy Group for Elders)
www link   right arrow  http://www.theseniorsource.org/
Texas Senior Advocacy Coalition
www link   right arrow  http://www.tsac.org/
Texas Silver Haired Legislature
www link   right arrow  http://www.txshl.org/
Medicare Rights Center
www link   right arrow  http://www.medicarerights.org/
Gray Panthers
www link   right arrow  http://graypanthers.org/
Texas Association of Homes and Services for the Aging
www link   right arrow  http://www.tahsa.org/
Texas Association of Nursing Home Reform
www link   right arrow  http://www.tanhr.org/
Families USA
www link   right arrow  http://www.familiesusa.org/
WWW Aging Resource Links List:
  right arrow   >>> Word  word  Version <<< - >>> PDF  pdf  Version <<<
Site Created June 1st 2007 - Updated 
Baby Boomers are redefining aging. By the reality of their large numbers, preparing for the Baby Boomers will require the Aging Network and a broad range of public, private and non-profit agencies to rethink programs and services in the future.
 
Photos: Senior Day in Austin, 2007
Photo via Texas Silver-Haired Legislature and Texas Senior Advocacy Coalition Websites.

“The goal is to undermine the factors in society that fail to address individual lag and/or factors that support social-structural lag.”
(Lawton, M. Powell. 1998. Future Society and Aging.)
M. Powell Lawton,Ph.D. was Director of Polisher Research Institute at Philadelphia Geriatric Center for 30 years.