Program to Assist Older Adults Honored

Los Angeles County Community and Senior Services

Contact:  Pat Senett-Holt  (213)738-2065

psenett@css.lacounty.gov

 

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

August 6, 2010

 

The National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a)

Honors Innovative and Successful Programs Serving Older Adults

 

Directors Knowledge Fair, Los Angeles, CA Honored

 

Los Angeles, CA—The Los Angeles County Area Agency on Aging (AAA)/Community and Senior Services (CSS) announces that the Directors Knowledge Fair (DKF) has been honored with an Aging Achievement Award by the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a).  The awards program is sponsored by Critical Signal Technologies (CST).

 

       The 2010 n4a Aging Achievement Awards recognize aging services programs across the country that provide successful, cost-effective approaches that help older adults live independently in their homes and communities and provide needed support to caregivers of older adults. The honored programs serve as models for other agencies seeking new and effective approaches to address the needs of older residents and their families in local communities.

 

       “n4a annually honors and promotes best practices that assist older adults, persons with disabilities and their caregivers.  This awards program helps to underscore the fact that AAAs and Title VI Native American aging programs are indeed a trusted network that continues to rise above challenges to serve our ever-growing aging population,” said n4a CEO Sandy Markwood.

 

       The DKF was launched in February 2007.  The day-long program is jointly sponsored by CSS, the City of Los Angeles Department of Aging, City of Los Angeles Recreation and Parks Department and the County of Los Angeles Parks and Recreation Department.  The DKF was established to convene the approximately 180 senior and service centers in the County of Los Angeles to provide a forum for directors to connect with peers and gain new insight into how best to manage their centers.  Information about best practices to support quality programming is another key feature of the DKF.  A committee of staff, senior volunteers and senior center directors meets monthly throughout the year to plan the semi-annual DKFs. 

 

       “I am thrilled!” says Cynthia D. Banks, Director of Community and Senior Services.  “The Knowledge Fairs have become a wonderful opportunity to share the good work for seniors that is being done across this large and diverse county.”

 

       The 2010 n4a Aging Achievement Awards honored 36 programs in a range of categories including caregiving, community planning, ethnic/cultural diversity, elder abuse prevention, healthy aging, home- & community-based care, intergenerational programs, information & referral, nutrition, technology, transportation and volunteerism.

 

       The CSS/AAA provides an array of social and supportive services to adults aged 60 and older residing in 87 of the 88 cities and the unincorporated areas of the county. For more information about the AAAs visit the websites at www.css.lacounty.gov and www.losangelesnetworkofcare.org/aging.

 

       The n4a is the leading voice on aging issues for AAAs across the country and a champion in our nation’s capital for Title VI Native American aging programs.  For more information about the n4a visit the website www.n4a.org.