On last Thursday, the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners approved the Department of County Human Services' Area Plan on Aging for 2025-2029, ensuring eligibility for federal funding under the Older Americans Act. According to the Multnomah County, the plan will guide the County’s aging services for the next four years. Chair Jessica Vega Pederson stated, "This plan is a standard part of the work to make sure that these service areas are considered and given long-range planning."
The eight-month planning process included public input through surveys, focus groups, and listening sessions, collecting 2,400 survey responses—double the initial goal. Division project manager Alex Garcia Lugo stated, "We were required to do two, but we’re overachievers," referring to the three community sessions held instead of the required two. The plan addresses demographic shifts, including a 4.5% increase in residents aged 60 or older and growing diversity. Community contributions came from various cultural and linguistic groups, including Korean, Somali, and ASL users. New initiatives focus on support for transgender, nonbinary, and two-spirit elders, as well as expanded data evaluation measures, as reported by the Multnomah County.
Key insights are shaping the division's action plan, with a focus on improving access to services. "One of the key takeaways we had was that many people do not know how to access Multnomah County services," Garcia Lugo said. Commissioners acknowledged this issue, with Shannon Singleton mentioning the use of ASL and closed captions in outreach and Meghan Moyer addressing the need to better track elderly homelessness. As the plan moves toward state approval, annual updates will ensure it meets the changing needs of older adults. Efforts will focus on increasing awareness and access to resources like the Aging and Disability Resource Connection Helpline. “There is a level of thought in this plan that I don’t think is happening in other places and I appreciate that,” Moyer said, as mentioned by the Multnomah County.
