Timing is everything, right? Somehow, in some way, I find myself serving as the chairperson of the Community Health and Senior Services Commission as it undertakes monumental tasks.
These tasks include implementing the Senior Services Committee’s incredibly comprehensive road map for improving older adult services in Los Gatos, creating a road map for the improvement of mental health and substance abuse services in town based upon the report our commission created last year after conducting an investigation, and evaluating Los Gatos Recreation’s 55-plus program’s funding requirements/requests. It’s a fun and challenging time to be involved with our commission.
When I discuss my role as chairperson with friends and colleagues, including fellow commissioners, they combine their “Better you than me” comments about my timing, with commiserative remarks and knowing smirks about my unenviable position. But I persevere, knowing it will all be worth it in the end if we can make Los Gatos, which has an ever-growing older adult population (currently more than 20% and expected to grow to approximately 30% or more in the next decade), a better and safer place to live.
I take solace in the fact that there are incredible people working with me on the tasks before our commission. I also remind myself how much I am learning from my term as chairperson and more generally, through my service on the commission. Although at 72, how much more learning do I need to do?
Am I having fun yet in my role as chairperson? It depends upon your definition of the word “fun.” I ride my Peloton bike for crazy amounts of miles every morning, in addition to partaking in other forms of exercise. Is it enjoyable? It’s difficult at times but also rewarding, so in that sense, it is enjoyable. The same goes with my work on the commission; it is challenging and rewarding.
Perhaps the most challenging item for our commission is the implementation of the road map for improving older adult services. This is being accomplished largely through our task forces. Each such task force is comprised of commissioners and citizens. The task forces are based upon one of the seven goals for improving older adult services in the town. By way of example, we’re working on a governance framework to resolve the issue of having a fragmented approach in town to the delivery of older adult services. We’re also developing accountability policies to determine how older adult service providers can best help with implementing the Senior Services Committee’s Road Map.
Other goals include creating a more attractive or new physical facility in town for older adults, which our commission is involved in as a liaison/helper to the 501c3 organization to be created, improving communication and engagement, such as through the HUB, which is a resource for older adults, and reviewing how best to improve transportation and housing issues for older adults.
Our concurrent work to improve mental health and substance abuse services in Los Gatos, appears to have already met with some success, as we will hopefully soon have a navigator person situated in town once per week for several hours, to help people find and access care, such as local support groups, treatment centers, and obtain assistance with transportation and funding issues.
Our commission’s third major piece of work comes courtesy of our town council, which asked us to evaluate and report to them on Los Gatos Recreation’s 55-plus program in terms of their funding requests and the services we hope they can deliver for the funds received.
I encourage others to join this Community Health and Senior Services Commission’s journey, as a member of one of our task forces, a member of our commission, or as a volunteer in one of our many projects we pursue in furtherance of implementing the road map’s goals.
If timing is everything, now could not be a better time to get involved with what we are striving to do to make Los Gatos a better place to live. You might even gain some rewarding enjoyment at the same time. If you are interested, contact me at [email protected].
Jeffrey P. Blum is a family law mediator who lives in Los Gatos.
