An action plan for seniors seeks to make the county better for all.

What could Monterey County look like if it became a friendlier, more accessible place for seniors and people living with disabilities? Considering that a newly released action plan advocates for more housing, better communication, more health care specialists, improved transportation and access to outdoor spaces, among others, it would look like a better place for all residents, says Teresa Sullivan, facilitator of the Local Aging and Disability Action Plan for the Alliance on Aging.

Two years ago, Alliance on Aging received a $200,000 grant from the California Department of Aging to create the LADAP, modeled after the California Master Plan for Aging created by Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2019. The Alliance decided to focus on rural areas of the county plus the greater Salinas area, where access to services for seniors and those living with disabilities was more limited.

Working with 37 organizations and 15 community members as an advisory group, the Alliance held 45 meetings collecting information, and conducted a community survey. That was followed by eight community forums in various locations called “Solutions Summits,” where over 230 people shared their ideas, Sullivan reported to the Monterey County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, June 17. Of those, over 190 were Latino and nearly all were over age 60.

The result was the action plan, which is now being implemented by working groups that were formed out of the advisory council. The main goals include: increasing civic participation; improving communication; disaster preparedness; creating more access to health specialists; ensuring that programs like Meals on Wheels and other mobile programs continue; promoting the building of accessory dwelling units; increasing social activities; and improving transportation.

Supervisor Wendy Root Askew asked Sullivan if they had considered making changes to the plan if “the rug is pulled out from underneath” nonprofits and agencies in the county that rely on federal funds to provide services, in light of Trump Administration policies.

“Our goal is to stay focused on the plan,” Sullivan responded. Even if resources go away, they will hopefully come back in the future. “I’m the ultimate optimist, and we have to keep positive and we have to have this plan.”