DAYTON, OH (Oct. 13, 2023) – Montgomery County’s Frail and Elderly Services Advisory Committee (MCFESAC) is celebrating the success of its inaugural Older Adults Symposium. The event was held Friday at the Kroc Center. It brought together service providers, community leaders and nonprofit partners to discuss the challenges seniors face and the resources available to help them maintain their independence.
The theme for the symposium was, ‘Better Together: Senior Services Through Community.’
“In the next couple of years, the oldest members of Generation X will start turning 60. A new generation entering this phase of life brings a new level of needs and a renewed need for creativity and collaboration across both public and private sectors,” said Commission President Debbie Liebermann.
Participants included representatives from the Area Agency on Aging, Adult Protective Services, the Senior Resource Connection, the Miami Valley Age Friendly Network, the Miami Valley Fair Housing Center and Montgomery County Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS), among others.
Dr. Larry Lawhorne delivered the keynote address about the Evolving Landscape in Gerontology. Other presentations centered around trauma-responsive care while panel discussions focused on successes, challenges and best practices in older adult services and senior housing.
“I applaud our Department of Job and Family Services and the MCFESAC for seeing a need for a new way to connect with partners and our area’s seniors. The challenges seniors face are many but so too is the network of partners working to address these challenges,” said Commissioner Judy Dodge.
Montgomery County Job and Family Services (JFS) oversees the Senior Services Network, which supports the MCFESAC. The MCFESAC researches best practices and provides evidence-based recommendations for programs that prioritize the needs of residents who are 60+. It also recommends funding allocations to the Human Service Levy Council for approval from the Montgomery County Board of County Commissioners.
“The MCFESAC aims to give our seniors a sense of security, support and most importantly, recognition of how they’ve made our community better during their lifetime. The MCFESAC’s recommendations are critical to allowing us to give back to our seniors to ensure they can live out their golden years in dignity and safety,” said Commissioner Carolyn Rice.
Presenting Sponsors included ADAMHS and the Dayton Foundation - Del Mar Encore Fellows Initiative. Key Supporting Sponsors included CareSource, Premier Health, The Area Agency on Aging, PSA-2, Capital Health - The Oaks of West Kettering and Montgomery County Veterans Services Commission. Supporting Sponsors included the Senior Resource Connection, Bethany Lutheran Village and Saber Healthcare Group - Carillon Health.
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