Richmond aging services office outlines needs assessment, seeks more staffing and outreach

The Richmond Office of Aging and Disability Services reported to the Education and Human Services Standing Committee that a 2023 needs assessment identified gaps in housing repairs, transportation, built environment accessibility and awareness of services for older adults and people with disabilities.

The update, delivered by Natasha Haupt, program manager for the Office of Aging and Disability Services, summarized key findings, actions already under way and short-term priorities. Haupt said the office is focusing on improving outreach, expanding training for personal care workers, coordinating safety-check programs for residents who live alone and piloting pop-up food pantries in neighborhoods with high senior populations.

The report matters because Richmond’s population of older adults is growing and many residents who need help are not accessing city services. The presentation said the city counted about 57,000 older adults at the time of the survey and that the figure was approaching 70,000 as the city moved toward 2026; the assessment team interviewed about 495 older adults or key informants and produced an 80‑page report with 9 recommendations.

Haupt said the assessment’s recurring needs were improvements to the built environment (including…