Oakland is the largest city in Alameda County and among its services to older residents include four multi-purpose senior centers, senior companions program, paratransit and taxi services, senior employment assistance and the city hosts a commission on aging to ensure seniors are represented in the City’s planning and programs. The Commission is leading the City’s effort to become an age-friendly community to make Oakland a Livable Community for Every Age. The Commission held a facilitated planning retreat in February 2018, including community-based organizations and advocacy groups and the City of Oakland’s department of disabilities services to create a mission statement and action steps to become age-friendly that include applying to AARP and joining the AARP and WHO Age-friendly network.

Our plans include holding focus groups in each of our seven City Council districts, collaborating with our County’s Area Agency on Aging by participating in the 2019 Needs Assessment Update survey in 2019 and presenting our progress and results in community forums, including the monthly recorded Oakland Commission on Aging meetings. These efforts will serve to strengthen the network of services providers while informing them of relevant and timely needs of seniors. In addition, the Commissioners are surveying over 20 candidates and incumbents running for four City Council seats to learn their knowledge and plans for serving seniors living in their prospective districts to establish a baseline of community support and identify other civic-minded citizens and elected leaders likely to support our effort. The results of the surveys will be made available at focus groups scheduled in September and October where we will announce the effort and begin our needs assessment process.