Douglas County Senior Initiative

About the Program

Category: County Administration and Management (Best in Category)

Year: 2017

Douglas County, Colorado has been one of the fastest growing older adult populations in the country for the past decade. Because of the rapid growth in the senior population, services and resources that allowed residents to age in place and be safe in their home and community were lacking. In January 2012, the Partnership of Douglas County Governments (PDCG) established the Senior Initiative to explore the implications of the growing aging population in the county. The Partnership is comprised of representative from each of the jurisdictions in Douglas County including the County, Municipalities, and Special Districts. County staff and an Advisory Group of Partnership representatives planned a multi-pronged outreach and information gathering process to collect community input. This included key informant focus groups, citizen and provider surveys, and a listening tour at 13 locations throughout the County. Based on results, Douglas County developed goals and actions plans, and created products that allowed senior residents to have access to resources and services that enhance their ability to remain active and engaged in the County. Through this effort, the County has enhanced two-way communication between residents and community leaders, enhanced information on the County’s website, and expanded resources and services through partnerships with local providers. Information from the outreach phase was used to develop grants for Older Americans Act funding through the local Area Agency on Aging. The successful implementation of the grant funds allowed 450 senior residents access over 9,100 rides, 2,678 hours of adult day care, 3,822 hours of homemaker services, and 714 hours of chore-handyman services in the first year of expanded services. During the upcoming grant cycle, County staff has increased their grant request from $280,000 to $460,000 for services.