August 2022 Newsletter

GCOA's Senior Issues Newsletter

Senior Issues Newsletter August 2022

Priorites

Presenting the 2023 CO-AGE Priorities!

CO-AGE members have voted and set the issues for the 2023 legislative session!

A slate of three potential issues were presented at the July CO-AGE Meeting, which is now available for streaming. All electronic and paper ballots have been counted and the new CO-AGE priorities are:

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In this Issue:

2023 CO-AGE Priorities

July CO-AGE Meeting

Work Groups

DAS Corner

GCOA in the Community

Intern Wanted

Save the Dates

News You Can Use

These new issues join the GCOA perennial budget issue: Home and Community Based Services. Congratulations to those whose issues were chosen! GCOA would like to thank everyone who submitted an issue. We encourage those who were not selected, or were unable to get a submission in, to start planning early to have an issue considered for the 2024 legislative session. The next call for issues will go out in April 2023.

Visit www.gcoa.org/2023-priorities for the 2023 issue summaries and check below for info on work group meetings.

CO-AGE Mtg

July CO-AGE Meeting

The Georgia Council on Aging (GCOA) and the Coalition of Advocates for Georgia’s Elderly (CO-AGE) held the first in-person CO-AGE meeting since 2019 on July 14th in Macon. There were over 60 in-person attendees and over 20 online attendees. It was a true delight to return to meeting in-person. Thank you for your participation!

The next CO-AGE meeting is on October 27th.

Click above to watch the July CO-AGE Meeting

Work Groups

One of the greatest benefits to being a CO-AGE member is the opportunity to participate in issue work groups. Now that the 2023 issues have been selected, work groups will be created for each issue to help determine the best strategies for advocacy. Meetings will start in September.

CO-AGE Issue work groups are critical to the success of our advocacy efforts. It is easy to join a work group and, to keep you safe, the meetings will be held by conference calls and Zoom. Work group dates will be announced in the September newsletter.

Email Eric Ryan at eric.ryan@gcoa.ga.gov to join!

DAS Corner

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Become a Dementia Friend! Join DHS for a free webinar on August 15th from 12-1pm to learn how you can improve the lives of Georgians living with dementia.

Dementia Friends is a global movement that is changing the way people think, act, and talk about dementia. Developed by the Alzheimer’s Society in the United Kingdom, the Dementia Friends movement is now spreading through Georgia. More than 150,000 Georgians have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, by helping everyone in a community understand what dementia is and how it affects people, each of us can make a difference for people touched by dementia.

GCOA in the Com

GCOA in the Community

GCOA's Executive Director and Deputy Director attended the National Church Residences Rise N’ Shine Breakfast to Champion Older Adults: Equity in Aging on July 21st.

A dynamic panel of experts led a discussion on the difference between equity and equality, the importance of HCBS, alternative ways of addressing the social determinants of health and more.

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GCOA Vice Chair, Dr. Adrienne Mims, recently wrote an article that breaks down the latest research on brain health.

Read the full article HERE.

Save the Dates

Intern Wanted

Save the Dates

Are you a current college student or do you know a current college student who has an interest in Gerontology? GCOA is looking for an intern for the Fall 2022 semester.

Apply through the Division of Aging Services website by clicking HERE