Opinion: Santa Clara County’s population is aging

As we navigate the hustle and bustle of daily life, it’s easy to overlook the importance of support services for our older adults. But it’s a conversation we need to have. Whether it’s health check-ups, assistance with daily tasks or a helping hand when they need it, support services for seniors are vital.

By 2030, more than 400,000 Santa Clara County residents will be age 65 and up, making up one-fifth of the population and outnumbering children for the first time. During my time on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, I’ve pushed for a number of initiatives that support our senior population.

Most recently, I asked that our county assess the needs and capacity of caregivers providing in-home support services to older adults. The report that came back to our board was eye-opening. Not only do we have a massive shortage of caregivers that will quickly get worse if we don’t step up, but there’s not adequate support for the caregivers we already have.

Last year, my colleagues on the board approved my request to support upgrades to the Los Gatos-Saratoga Adult Recreation Center to help Los Gatos continue to be a great age-friendly place.

I’m also proud to have championed the launch of the Reach Your Destination Easily (RYDE) program, which will provide more than 10,000 rides this year to folks age 65 and older in the West Valley and South County. The beauty of RYDE is its simplicity—no bus schedules to negotiate, no ride sharing apps or surge time pricing to figure out. RYDE provides a trustworthy lift to run an errand, see the doctor or get out to socialize for a modest fee, based on need.

Seeing that LGBTQ+ older adults — a sometimes at-risk and underserved community — were facing not only a lack of specialized services but also hardship in finding reliable transportation, I led our county’s partnership with Avenidas (a local senior services nonprofit) to develop the Avenidas Rainbow Collective as a safe space for LGBTQ+ older adults to build connections and access services in their local community. Program participants report feeling less isolated and more engaged.

Another effort I’m proud to have championed is the Mature Worker Job- Coaching Program offered by Peninsula Family Service. Older workers have a lot to offer —skills and work experience, and often an impressive resume — but they often face age discrimination. Every year since 2017, the Mature Worker Program has helped hundreds of Santa Clara County residents —at no cost to them—up their job search game through individual coaching, group workshops and peer support. If you choose to work, we want to make sure you can do that without discrimination. And if working is a necessity, we want to make sure you have the best shot possible at success.

I’m grateful for the support of my colleagues on the Board of Supervisors, and for the many civic and community partners who make it possible to tackle these and other issues too big for one person, one group or one city alone. Here are some high-impact initiatives and accomplishments we’ve accomplished together in recent years.

Age-Friendly designation: Our county was the first in the country to have the county and all its cities receive age-friendly designation from the World Health Organization in 2018.

Senior Nutrition Program (SNP): SNP continues to promote the general health and well-being of older adults by providing services that are intended to reduce hunger and food insecurity, promote socialization and delay the onset of adverse health conditions. SNP at the Vietnamese American Service Center has expanded from serving 180 people per day to 500 in two months.

In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS): IHSS is preparing for an increase in the number of participants as eligibility requirements for Medi-Cal are expanded. Considerable progress has been made to reduce phone wait times and process applications, allowing for in-person home visits at quicker rates.

Seniors’ Agenda Network Summit: This program offered sessions on myriad topics, including tackling food insecurity and transportation and changing the narrative on aging. Prior to the pandemic, the sessions were held twice a year in-person, hosting over 200 people at each event.

Senior Safari: Now in its 10th year, Senior Safari invites visitors age 50 and up to “take over” San Jose’s Happy Hollow Park & Zoo. Older adults enjoy the fresh air and exercise, animal meet-and-greets, zookeeper chats, puppet making and music. This program is designed to help older adults improve their health, avoid social isolation and enjoy a unique environment that stimulates both mind and body.

Meeting the needs of older adults is not something a single entity or organization can do alone. It will take our combined efforts to ensure that older adults are taken care of in the communities where they live. These initiatives are a great reminder that we can do so much more when we all pull together.

Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian represents the Fifth District, which includes Cupertino, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Saratoga, Stanford, portions of San Jose and unincorporated communities in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Sign up for Simitian’s monthly newsletter at district5.sccgov.org/newsletter.