News

September: Much Work to Be Done

Snoqualmie Falls

Do you remember the 21st night of September? The band Earth, Wind & Fire released September, their classic funk song, in 1978. How about The Tempos’ See You in September? These songs often come to mind this time of year. And there’s Sarah Vaughn’s September Song. Then there’s Neil Diamond’s September Morn. But I digress!

September is a beautiful time of year and I hope you’ll take time to appreciate it. I also hope you’ll take time to learn about some of the work that Aging and Disability Services is doing.

Putting final touches on our Area Plan

Aging and Disability Services (ADS) is one of 622 designated Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) in the country and one of 13 AAAs in Washington state. Every four years all AAAs are required to submit an Area Plan that addresses the needs of older people and adults with disabilities within their regions.

ADS’ draft Area Plan 2020–2023 for King County includes a demographic profile of older adults, descriptions of available contracted and administered programs and services, issue areas that discuss current and emerging trends and needs, as well as goals and objectives that respond to local needs.

As the eyes and ears for older adults in King County, the ADS Advisory Council has an important role in developing and reviewing the draft plan. We hosted public hearings in July and August and received public comment. The Advisory Council is also responsible for approving the final draft plan before it is submitted to the State Unit on Aging, part of DSHS Aging and Long-Term Support Administration. The final draft Area Plan is due on October 4, 2019. For more information, visit www.agingkingcounty.org/data-reports/area-plan.

Grandparents Day is Sept. 8

We are so excited to celebrate Grandparents Day this year! Frankly, this special recognition has been overlooked for too long. Kudos to the Mayor’s Council on African American Elders and the Northwest African American Museum for planning a day of family fun on Sunday, September 8. See “Hand-In-Hand: Honoring Our Grandparents” in this issue for more information.

Falls prevention awareness: Sept. 23 and every day

The first day of fall—September 23—is a great day to talk about falls prevention, with the goal of increasing awareness throughout the year. Did you know that in Washington state, falls result in over 12,000 hospitalizations each year (compared to 2,600 hospitalizations due to motor vehicle accidents)? Please take a moment to read “Reducing Fall Risk: You and Your Health Care Provider” in this issue and make a point of talking with your provider next time you visit. In the meantime, you can also ask your pharmacist to review your medications and over-the-counter supplements for possible adverse interactions.

Thank you for reading AgeWise King County. If you haven’t yet subscribed (it’s free), be sure to sign up using the Subscribe button at the top of the page. Every month, we invite you to join in advocating for services and supports that help build age-friendly communities and support healthy aging, and to take charge of your own aging process by staying as active and connected as possible. We’re all in this together!


Ava FrisingerContributor Ava Frisinger chairs the Seattle-King County Advisory Council on Aging & Disability Services, which publishes AgeWise King County. She welcomes input from readers via e-mail (advisorychair@agewisekingcounty.org) as well as applicants for open positions on the council. For more information, visit www.agingkingcounty.org/advisory-council.

This article originally appeared in the September 2019 issue of AgeWise King County