AGE-FRIENDLY NOVATO

March 7th, 2017

Presented by: Michael Hagerty of

Age Friendly Novato Task Force

NOVATO IS AGINGUS CENSUS ESTIMATES IN 2014

13,000 citizens over age 60, or 26% of the population. By 2030,

growing to 33% of the population.

And because of higher voter turnout, they made up 41% of

actual voters in 2014.

Most older adults hope to age in place.

So far, the city has done a fabulous job of making Novato Age-

Friendly for ALL AGES!

THE TEAM AT AGE FRIENDLY NOVATO

Age Friendly Novato Task Force: Michael Hagerty, Beth Livoti, Marianne York, Jean Gunn, Carol Ann Moore. With input from:

Novato Independent Elders Coalition (social workers who specialize in elder care)

Members of Novato Villages

Participants at Margaret Todd Senior Center

Marin County 2016 Older Adult Needs Assessment Survey and Aging and Adult Services

WHAT DO WE WANT FROM THE CITY?

Council consideration and support of securing WHO age friendly city

designation and an ongoing commitment to be an age friendly city

Year 1: (a) Assessment Study: Done – see attached.

(b) Occasional access to staff as a Citizen’s Task Force

(c) Letter of support from the Mayor to WHO

Year 2: Action Plan and Indicators to Measure Progress (See Sausalito’s at

www.agefriendlysausalito.com

Year 3-5: Action and Monitor Progress

WHAT COULD GO WRONG??

A “PRE-MORTEM” ANALYSIS 1. We get tired and we all quit? We all have years of

volunteering for aging adults.

2. We can’t recruit any more volunteers? Beth and Carol Ann recruit volunteers successfully every day.

3. We ask Parks, Rec and Com Dept to spend more? IF we find a need that the city or county or NGO may be interested in funding, we will propose it formally.

4. Other agencies will refuse to work with us? The county Aging and Adult Services is already supporting us. We meet every month with other citys’ Age-Friendly volunteers, and every other month with Marin Transit and Housing staff.

BENEFITS TO NOVATO

1) Better use of public resources,

coordination with county and NGOs.

2) Enhanced citizenship.

3) Greater opportunities for business.

4) Stronger community connections.

5) Access to Age-Friendly grants.

GAPS AND NEEDS OF

NOVATO OLDER ADULTS

TOP TEN CONCERNS OF NOVATO OLDER ADULTS

(based on 481 responses to Marin’s 2016 Older Adult Needs Assessment survey)

“Having an accident in/out of the house.” (65%)

“Losing my memory/cognition.” (59%)

“Financial security.” (53%)

“Crime, financial abuse.” (48%)

“End of life plans.” (48%)

“Feeling isolated or depressed.” (43%)

“Knowing where to access information about benefits.” (41%)

“Paying for a caregiver” (40%)

“Legal Affairs.” (36%)

“Health insurance/Medicare.” (34%)

TRANSPORTATION We can do more: Councilmember Eklund noted that older adults

often wait too long for pickups from clinics and hospitals. Carol

Ann Moore agrees.

Margaret Todd has no scheduled bus service within ½ mile.

HOUSINGWe can do more: Many older adults are over-housed and under-cash

but don’t know the options for financing for Junior accessory units, for

pre-screened roommates doubling as care-givers, etc.

Advocate for building more affordable Senior Housing near Transit

Centers.

Novato Independent Elders Coalition of social workers identified these

two domains as having the most need:

W.H.O. 8 DOMAINS

HOW DOES NOVATO STACK UP ??

Outdoor spaces and buildings

Transportation

Housing

Social participation

Respect and social inclusion

Civic participation and employment

Communications and information

Community support and health services

OUTDOOR SPACES AND BUILDINGS

FOR ALL AGES

SOCIAL PARTICIPATION Margaret Todd Senior Center

Novato Independent Elders Program

Novato Senior Citizens Club

Novato Village: supplies vetted-volunteers to provide members with local rides, household help, pet care, tech support, companionship, etc.

Novato Community Events

We can do more: Grandparents’ Day,

Foster Grandparents Program,

Mentoring kids in school.

RESPECT AND SOCIAL

INCLUSION

COMMUNICATION AND

INFORMATION

We can do more: Housing fair to publicize programs to find

roommates, caregivers, financing for Junior Accessory Units, and

safe reverse mortgages.

COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND

HEALTH SERVICES

We can do more: Provide volunteer counseling to sign up

folks for the Cal Fresh nutrition initiative.

QUESTIONS?

For more information and how to volunteer for Age-

Friendly, call Michael Hagerty 415 382-1345, or

mrhagerty@ucdavis.edu