gmhTODAY 27 gmhTODAY Aug Sept 2019 | Page 14

B Healthy Aging Week Returns Written By Robin Shepherd y the year 2030, more than one-quarter of Americans will be 65 or older. For the first time in U.S. history, seniors will outnumber children under the age of five. People are living longer, and working longer either by choice or necessity. Data has shown that aging on one’s own, without a support network or community connection, is detrimental to a healthy lifestyle. Santa Clara County aims to buck that trend by bringing people together to create age-friendly communities. The results stand to benefit generations to come. Age-Friendly Designation Santa Clara County has the distinction of being the nation’s first Age-friendly County with 100 percent participation from its cities. In all, there are 15 Age-friendly cities, including Morgan Hill and Gilroy, and county areas such as San Martin. The World Health Organization (WHO) established the Age-friendly designation to encourage counties and cities to pursue a multi-year cycle of continuous improvement evaluated against eight domains of livability: • transportation • outdoor spaces and buildings • communication and information access • social participation • housing • civic participation and employment • respect and social justice • community support and health Notably, Santa Clara County added a ninth domain focused on dementia-related support. An overview is available online at: agefriendlysiliconvalley.org. In South County, local civic, business and community service organizations are exploring new ways to better serve our senior population. In Morgan Hill, the City’s Older Adult Services Supervisor, Debbie Vasquez, and Program Coordinator, Denise Melroy, are movers and shakers in this effort; along with represen- tatives from Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce, Friends of the Morgan Hill Senior Center and the Senior Advisory Committee, HomeInstead, Anthem/CareMore, Visiting Angels, the YMCA, the Morgan Hill Aging Council, Morgan Hill Rotary and Kiwanis Clubs, and Santa Clara County. “It’s a collaborative group and we’re thrilled to have their ideas, expertise and support,” Vasquez said. 14 GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN A Fun and Healthy Aging Week From October 7th through 12th, the City of Morgan Hill will host its second annual Healthy Aging Week. Each day features activities for learning, fitness, socializing and fun for seniors and their families. Last year’s event hosted nearly 500 unduplicated participants. Healthy Aging Week is open to residents of Morgan Hill, San Martin and Gilroy. Senior Resource Fair Returns Healthy Aging Week culminates with the Senior Resource Fair, which connects seniors and their family members with services and resources promoting seven dimensions of wellness: physical, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, occupational, social and environmental. For example, the City’s 50-plus fitness program offers a variety of classes for seniors at all levels of ability. Healthy Aging Week attendees get to try out classes for free. Wellness has a lot to do with access to healthcare services. This year’s Healthy Aging Week will include a workshop led by Kaiser Permanente on Life Care Planning. Having a sense of purpose is also part of wellness. Seniors at or nearing retirement can reinvest their time and talent as volunteers. The Senior Resource Fair will provide information on opportunities to volunteer in the community. Housing security is crucial to wellness. Senior living communities such as Westmont, The Huntington, The Lodge, and Loma Clara all have very high demand. Pacific Hills Manor offers a skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility. As we work to find new solutions to the housing crisis, senior housing must continue to be part of the focus. Learn More Online City of Morgan Hill Centennial Recreation Senior Center mhcrc.com City of Gilroy Senior Center cityofgilroy.org Santa Clara County Department of Aging & Adult Services sccgov.org World Health Organization who.int august/september 2019 gmhtoday.com