Monterey County Area Agency on Aging 2012-2016 Area Plan

Overview

Over the next 20 years, Monterey County, located on the central coast of California, is expected to experience a significant age shift. The 60+ population is projected to more than double by 2050. The Monterey County Area Agency on Aging (AAA) produced this four-year plan to meet the requirements of the Older Americans Act and to assess the specific needs of the county’s senior residents, as well as identify barriers to services for older adults.

Key Points

The Monterey AAA bases its work and responsibilities on the values most important to older adults, including quality care services, accessibility and affordability of care services, and independent living, among other things. To understand issues unique to older residents living in Monterey County communities, and thus, establish effective objectives and goals to accommodate the needs of Monterey County seniors, the AAA analyzed demographic data and survey results.

In determining the priority needs of seniors, the Monterey AAA discovered that seniors need services and assistances focused on meeting basic needs for food, housing, transportation, and access to health care. The survey results demonstrated that seniors are most concerned with staying physically fit while they age and identify lack of information as the most significant barrier to finding and receiving needed services.

Other report highlights include:

1. The Monterey AAA will develop an Aging and Disability Resource Connection (ADRC) that will improve service coordination between organizations to better deliver needed services to older residents.
2. The Monterey AAA will advocate for the expansion and improvement of senior centers and work toward increasing public support of senior centers.
3. The Monterey AAA will improve physical activity and sense of well-being among older adults by allocating funding for community-based, health promotion services that promote healthy aging practices.

How to Use

The Monterey County 2012-2016 Area Plan is a useful resource for any community looking to understand the top priorities and barriers faced by many seniors in the U.S. The priorities and concerns identified by Monterey County seniors are similar to those of many older Americans. The plan does an excellent job of providing concrete objectives to meet the AAA’s overarching goals. Planners, local officials, and community leaders looking for guidance on establishing planning efforts that will improve services and programs for seniors should take a look at this four-year aging plan.

View the full report: Monterey County Area Agency on Aging 2012-2016 Area Plan (PDF – 1.0 MB)