letter from the governor of Arizona on senniors

Dear Friends,

May is Older Americans Month, and this week I was proud to participate in the Governor’s Conference on Aging in Mesa. I’d like to share that message with you here, and update you on some of the things we’ve been doing to support this rapidly growing part of our population.

Our older citizens are engaged and vital members of their families and their communities and deserve to live with dignity and independence. They also deserve to make choices about their lives. Coordinated efforts to provide support on issues as diverse as housing, transportation, and health care are essential to healthy aging and maintaining an independent lifestyle for our seniors well into old age.

Recognizing this reality, in this year’s budget, I have proposed increases in funding for the programs that are most essential for supporting our seniors. I have advocated spending an additional $6.3 million for Department of Economic Security community care services to help seniors maintain their independence and stay in their homes and communities. I have also proposed spending an additional $1.5 million to hire additional Adult Protective Services caseworkers to ensure that all claims of elder abuse are fully investigated.

As part of an active and independent lifestyle, many seniors have decided to continue working well into what has traditionally been thought of as “retirement years.” To support these individuals, last year I launched the Arizona Mature Workforce Initiative. During the past year we have held three Mature Worker Job Fairs – including one at this week’s Conference on Aging – that combined have attracted over one hundred employers and thousands of participants. We also held three Mature Workforce Summits with business leaders and seniors to discuss the issues facing the mature workforce.

Based on their recommendations coming out of these summits, we are launching a public awareness campaign about the aging workforce and the value of mature workers, and creating a mature worker job bank to make it easier for employers to locate these valuable potential employees. And to help assist mature workers in changing careers, we are creating the Arizona Workforce Transition Center. Finally, we are advocating changes to national policies that limit mature Arizonans’ ability to work.

I recognize that our seniors are a vibrant and important part of Arizona and deserve our support as they live active, independent lives well into old age. I hope you will join me in celebrating Older Americans Month.

As always, I appreciate your input, and encourage you to call my office at 602.542.1318 if you have questions or thoughts to share. Or, please visit our website at http://www.azgovernor.gov for information and news in state government.

Yours very truly,

Janet Napolitano
Governor



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