On Feb. 18, a public forum on aging will be held in Buellton. Co-sponsored by the Santa Barbara Foundation and the Area Agency on Aging, the forum will gather information from local residents to shape the program of the 2015 White House Conference on Aging.
Input collected at these public forums is used to guide the public and private sectors in being responsive to the diverse needs of an aging population. The national conferences have helped inform aging policy for the past 50 years.
“The Santa Barbara Foundation is aware of the challenges facing seniors and their families in Santa Barbara County. In keeping with our role as a solver of community problems, we are actively focusing resources on innovative solutions in caregiver support,” said Ron Gallo, president and CEO of Santa Barbara Foundation. “This public forum will gather valuable local data about our aging neighbors while also informing national policy makers. We are proud to be a sponsor this event, which like the foundation, promotes the health, dignity and independence of older persons.”
The forum will be hosted by Rep. Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara, and moderated by Santa Barbara County Third District Supervisor Doreen Farr. Local residents will have the opportunity to weigh in on topics within the four focus areas of the 2015 White House Conference on Aging — retirement security, healthy aging, long-term care services and elder justice.
The event will be held at the Santa Ynez Valley Marriott at 555 McMurray Road in Buellton from 10 to 11:30 a.m. The forum is free to the public. The venue is handicap accessible and sign interpreters with be present.
— Judy Taggart is the marketing director for the Santa Barbara Foundation.