Empowering Seniors Health & Lifestyle Expo

About the Program

Category: Human Services (Best in Category)

Year: 2015

The Empowering Seniors Health & Lifestyle Expo has provided an annual one-stop, first-of-its-kind resource for seniors, caregivers and Baby Boomers in Northeast Tarrant County to meet their most pressing needs. This free event, which has grown from 800 attendees in 2010 to 2,000 in 2014, is the result of a local Senior Task Force created by Tarrant County Precinct 3 Commissioner Gary Fickes that made a recommendation to address six major issues: isolation, transportation, healthcare, financial security, identity theft, and employment. Attendees at Empowering Seniors receive free health screenings from local hospitals, visit exhibit booths with information and products of interest to seniors, enjoy senior-focused seminars, entertainment, Bingo, lunch, and the opportunity to interact with fellow seniors. Every major hospital in our area has participated from the event’s inception. A variety of non-profit and county agencies such as the Area Agency on Aging and the United Way help seniors, caregivers and Baby Boomers learn about free local resources. Seniors enjoy all these free benefits without any use of taxpayer funds because sponsors and exhibitors have underwritten all costs. Empowering Seniors has brought together senior centers, senior organizations, facilities, and over 200 volunteers. Commissioner Fickes and his staff created and continue to manage this entire event. Empowering Seniors has become a model for how to respond to the needs of a community, how to collaborate between citizens and governmental entities, and has fostered a greater understanding of government programs through county, state and national agencies. We have also shown other communities how to replicate this event. Planning for Empowering Seniors as a large format health and lifestyle expo began in mid-January 2010, with the event held on October 1, 2010.