The White House Conference on Aging, a decennial event, has been confirmed for Monday, July 13.

This conference will include an event in Washington, D.C., with limited attendance and “watch” sites throughout the nation.


“Three ‘watch’ sites are planned for the Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties area,” said Amy Mallett, chair of the Area Agency on Aging Advisory Council. “These ‘watch’ sites will be livestreamed and provide an opportunity to share our ideas and inputs as well as promote local conversation about the issues of aging.

“Cosponsoring these ‘watch’ sites are the Santa Barbara Foundation, Santa Barbara County and San Luis Obispo County departments of Social Services. In preparation for the White House Conference on Aging we held a local public forum to gather inputs. These inputs were sent to the White House Conference on Aging and a short report was prepared.

“These ‘watch’ sites are open to all interested persons. Bring your ideas to improve the quality of life for older adults. The WHCOA has identified four common themes: Retirement Security, Healthy Aging, Long Term services and supports and Elder Justice. Based on the local public forum we added a fifth theme of Family Caregiver.”

“This AAA urges that the WHCOA strongly advocate for the reauthorization of the Older Americans Act,” said Joyce Ellen Lippman, Area Agency on Aging director. “The Older Americans Act is the foundation of home- and community-based services that facilitate aging-in-place. The act hasn’t been reauthorized in a timely fashion and a bill (S.192) is now in the Senate to accomplish reauthorization.”

Three local “watch” sites will be held beginning at 8 a.m. at:

» San Luis Obispo City — County Department of Social Services, 3433 S. Higuera St., Room 101

» Santa Barbara City — Santa Barbara Foundation, 1111 Chapala St., Suite 200

» Santa Maria — Area Agency on Aging, 528 S. Broadway

“Join us for the entire day or several hours,” Mallett said. “Come share in the conversation with local colleagues.”

For more information, contact Lippman at 805.925.9555 or 800.510.2020.

— Joyce Ellen Lippman is director of the Central Coast Commission for Senior Citizens-Area Agency on Aging.