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Alliance on Aging presents LADAP: community-driven plan for seniors and people with disabilities in Monterey and Salinas
Summary
Alliance on Aging told the Salinas City Council about a new Local Aging and Disabilities Action Plan (LADAP) developed with state grant support; the plan prioritizes eight domains of livability and calls for city participation in implementation.
Teresa Sullivan, project facilitator for the Alliance on Aging, presented the Local Aging and Disabilities Action Plan (LADAP) to the Salinas City Council on Aug. 12, summarizing a multi-year, community-driven planning effort to improve livability for older adults and people with disabilities across North and South Monterey County and the greater Salinas area.
What the plan is: LADAP is a locally tailored model that adapts the eight AARP livability domains (housing; outdoor spaces and buildings; transportation; civic participation and employment; communication and information; social participation; health services; community supports) and adds disaster preparedness and services. The project was supported by a grant from the California Department of Aging and used bilingual community assessments, solution summits and stakeholder surveys.
Scope and process: The advisory committee for LADAP included representatives from 37 organizations and 15 community members; project staff conducted 45 meetings with the advisory body, an asset inventory with presentations from 39 local organizations, a community assessment in English and Spanish that produced 397 completed surveys, and eight in-person solution summits attended by 232 community members. The plan highlighted rural access issues and recommended strategies targeted at North and South county communities as well as Salinas.
Key recommendations (high level): Sullivan offered one example recommendation in each domain: organizing community-based groups for civic participation; distributing an employment and volunteer resource list for older adults and people with disabilities; a communication strategy on services and benefits in multiple languages; targeted disaster preparedness materials for aging and disability needs; improving specialist health access and wait times with transportation support starting in South Monterey County; continuing mobile service models hosted by Meals on Wheels; promoting accessory dwelling units (ADUs) to increase housing options; prioritizing sidewalk and traffic improvements in Salinas as a model for other jurisdictions; and expanding senior programming and social activities.
AARP recognition and next steps: Sullivan noted that Monterey County was accepted into the national AARP network of age-friendly states based in part on LADAP work. She requested that Salinas “integrate the LADAP into city decisions and policies” affecting older adults and people with disabilities and indicated the plan will move into implementation with ongoing advisory meetings.
Questions and council response: Councilmembers thanked presenters; no formal council action was requested that night. Sullivan left copies of the 74-page plan in English and Spanish and offered contact information for follow-up.
