Senior Lobby Day

Michael Miller, ADS Advisory Council Chair

Join Us in Olympia on January 22!

As you may know, I have been elected to chair the Advisory Council for 2008-2009. It is an honor to serve in this capacity, and I just hope I can fill the shoes of my very capable predecessor, Don Moreland.

Don has been an incredible leader of and visionary for the Council, and I'm delighted that he will be able to stay with us as Chair of the Outreach and Advocacy Committee.

The new year brings a new Legislative Session. For 2008, as in all even-numbered years, that means a "short" session begin January 14 and lasting 60 days.

Once again a group of ADS Advisory Council members will head down to Olympia for Senior Lobby Day on January 22. This annual ritual takes on special urgency this election year.

As with last year, we will be working with the Eldercare Alliance as part of our Lobby Day activities. Specifically, we will be asking the legislature to:

• Expand Aging Disability Resource Centers as places to provide information and counseling on long term care issues. 
  
  
• Reduce care burdens for unpaid family caregivers by increasing state Family Caregiver Support funding. 
  
  
• Support Intensive Chronic Care Case Management and reduce avoidable medical costs.  
  
  
• Prevent erosion of service quality and quantity from inflation by providing an adequate vendor rate increase. 
  
  
• Increase funding for the Senior Citizens Services Act and support nutrition services. 
  
  
• Conduct an "Aging Readiness Initiative" which leads all state departments to report on their readiness to serve this population. 

The Washington Association of Area Agencies on Aging is a great resource for more information. Their "Legislative Agenda: State Issues" section has briefing papers on the five key issues.

Also, see the website of the Washington State's Senior Citizen's Lobby.

If you are an Advisory Council member looking to join us in Olympia on the 22nd, please contact Doug Ricker (doug.ricker@seattle.gov) at (206) 684-0292. We hope to see you then!

Photo: Washington State Tourism