Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Aging today announced the Commonwealth's 52 Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) are hosting in-person listening sessions in all 67 counties to gather input on Pennsylvania's Master Plan for Older Adults. The Master Plan is a 10-year, state-led and stakeholder-driven strategic plan designed to help transform the infrastructure and coordination of services for older Pennsylvanians. The plan will also reflect the needs and preferences of this population to live where they choose and access the supports they need to thrive and age in place.
During these listening sessions, the AAAs will present an overview of the plan with a concentration on AARP's 8 Domains of Livability for Age-Friendly Communities. These domains assess the characteristics of a community or state that make it more acceptable for the older adult population, with benefits for all residents. The availability and quality of the domains are known to improve quality of life for older adults in all communities.
"These listening sessions are meeting people where they are in convenient community locations that should be familiar to older adults and the public. The sessions will provide an opportunity to dissect AARP's 8 Domains and what attendees feel should be incorporated into the plan," said Secretary of Aging Jason Kavulich. "The Master Plan will be crafted by Pennsylvanians, for Pennsylvanians. We want to create a plan that the Department, its stakeholders, older adults, all Pennsylvanians can stand by. I encourage anyone if they plan on aging in our Commonwealth to invest in their future by attending at least one of the listening sessions."
"We are all aging. The 52 Area Agencies on Aging are hosting these listening sessions on Pennsylvania's Master Plan for Older Adults to ensure all Pennsylvanians have the opportunity to use our collective ingenuity to improve older people's lives. Providing these forums in communities across Pennsylvania offers a unique chance to create a Commonwealth where older Pennsylvanians can fully participate in and contribute to our communities now and in the future," said Rebecca May-Cole, executive director of the Pennsylvania Association of Area Agencies on Aging.
A list of AAA listening sessions organized by county is available on the Department of Aging's webpage dedicated to the Master Plan for Older Adults, aging.pa.gov/MasterPlan. The webpage also provides information on why a master plan is needed, the core tenets, how the Department will gather input for the plan, resources and more.
Individuals who would like to submit input on the plan anytime can either email AgingPlan@pa.gov, provide feedback through an online form or send mail to:
Pennsylvania Department of Aging
c/o Master Plan
555 Walnut St., 5th Floor
Harrisburg, PA 17101
Learn more about the programs and services offered by the department on its website and its Facebook page.
MEDIA CONTACT: Jack Eilber, Aging: agingcomms@pa.gov