The Area Agency on Aging will launch an age- and disability-inclusive awareness campaign to garner commitments and to promote opportunities for people with disabilities and older adults in leadership roles with community organizations and decision-making bodies.
California's 5 Bold Goals: Inclusion & Equity, Not Isolation; Affording Aging
AARP's 8 Domains of Livability: Social Participation; Respect & Social Inclusion
Focus group participants in a number of communities strongly prioritized a culture shift toward greater respect and recognition of older adults and people with disabilities. They felt strongly that community members, especially youth, are lacking in respect and care for older adults and people with disabilities, and that part of the reason why is because there are not enough older adults and people with disabilities in visible community leadership roles.
An age- and disability-inclusive awareness campaign would challenge and combat discriminatory attitudes and practices based on age and disability. This includes raising awareness about the impact of ageism and ableism, promoting inclusive practices, and advocating for policies that protect individuals of all ages and abilities.
The Area Agency on Aging would lead this campaign in conjunction with a concerted effort to engage County and local commissions and committees, nonprofit and school boards, and other decision-making bodies, and encourage them to proactively recruit older adults and people with disabilities. This awareness campaign would be developed as part of the Age and Disability-Friendly Merced County communications plan, ensuring community events and meetings efficiently address multiple communications goals.
The Area Agency on Aging will develop messaging and promotional collateral encouraging older adults and people with disabilities to apply for openings on local and County commissions, boards and committees by June 30, 2026.
The Area Agency on Aging will garner at least ten (10) commitments from local and County commissions, boards and committees to actively recruit older adults and people with disabilities by June 30, 2027.
As part of the next Community Assessment Survey for Older Adults (CASOA®) report, 40% of older adults will assess their opportunities to participate in community matters as excellent or good. For baseline comparison, 16% of older adults provided an "excellent" or "good" rating in the 2023 CASOA® report.
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