SOLON — By official proclamation, May has been designated as Older Americans Month in Solon.
Mayor Steve Stange signed the proclamation during the City Council’s regular meeting Wednesday, May 3 citing the city is home to citizens 60 or older whose experience and wisdom connects us to the past and prepares us for the future. The proclamation also encourages Solon’s senior citizens to “Age Strong,” and “Live Long.”
Solon seniors have direct support in the community through Solon Senior Support and Senior Advocates (who have initiated this proclamation for several years now). There is also a county wide group – Johnson County Livable Community for Successful Aging Policy Board, comprised of volunteers and assisted by Johnson County Aging Services. Board member William Gorman, with fellow member Lorraine Bowans, addressed the Council to highlight the Board’s purpose and to address ways to support seniors.
“Our mission is to engage in education, collaboration, and cooperation,” Gorman said. Education consists of holding trainings across the county about topics including fall prevention, which he said is the leading cause of hospitalization, as well as fraud prevention, affordable housing training, aging in place, and a new initiative on ‘accessory dwelling units.’ These small residential structures, which were commonly referred to as a ‘mother in-law’ house, are a way to increase the stock of ‘affordable housing’ and are “a method to help seniors stay in their own home” as help and support is close by.
As Bowans noted, an accessory dwelling unit doesn’t necessarily have to be a free-standing structure. “It can be adding a second story to your garage, or finishing off a basement that has its own entrance. It’s just a way where either a caregiver can move in and live, or where the senior could move into an adult child’s home and have their own space there.”
“I want to congratulate Solon,” he said. “Of the eleven cities in Johnson County, only Solon and Iowa City have code that allow accessory dwelling units,” said Gorman.
While City Code does allow for such residential units, City Administrator Cami Rasmussen is quick to point out such units are conditional and dependent upon lot size and HOA guidelines (where applicable).
Communication, Gorman said, includes a monthly newsletter available on the Livable Community for Successful Aging Department’s website at https://johnsoncountyiowa.gov/department-of-livable_community.
“It’s a very good newsletter with a lot of resource information for seniors and their caregivers.”
Collaboration, he said, includes the department’s Aging Services Specialist who handles care coordination between seniors and caregivers, and matching them up with resources.
Proclamation declaring May as Older Americans Month
Whereas the City of Solon is home to citizens aged 60 years or older whose experience and wisdom connect us to the past and help us meet the challenges of the future; and
Whereas the older citizens of the City of Solon are representative of an unprecedented trend in the nation’s demographic makeup; and
Whereas older persons are diverse, respected citizens who continue to contribute to our nation’s social and economic well-being as they live longer, healthier, and more productive lives, many starting second careers; and
Whereas as America grows older, each community must strive to understand and address the evolving challenges and needs of our older citizens and the people who care for them; and
Whereas the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead require us to think differently about health and long-term care, and work together to ensure that older Americans can age strong, long, and with dignity; and
Whereas the City of Solon wishes to join in the celebration to honor the Seniors of Johnson County and encourage them to “Age Strong, Live Long.”
Now therefore, I, Steve Stange, Mayor of the City of Solon, do hereby proclaim the month of May 2023 as Older Americans Month.