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Commissions on Aging and Status of Women present 2024 reports; council questions senior services and event access
Summary
At the May 21 meeting the Commission on Aging and the Commission on the Status of Women presented their 2024 annual reports and 2025 goals, highlighting resource guides, dementia-friendly efforts, transportation barriers for seniors, and events such as the Women's History Month luncheon and Young Women's Leadership Summit.
Two city commissions presented annual reports and answered council questions on May 21.
Commission on Aging: Sandra McGough, a commissioner, presented the commission's 2024 highlights and 2025 goals, including splitting the senior resource guide into two (general and health-care-specific), hosting "Senior Living 101" seminars and continuing partnerships with dementia-friendly Bloomington and Blue Zones initiatives. McGough emphasized transportation as a core barrier: "transportation continues to be an issue," she said, noting many seniors are isolated or homebound and cannot access services even where they exist.
Councilmembers asked whether the commission needs additional printing funds for brochures; Marissa Parscott, city liaison to the commission on aging, said the commission prints guides in-house and currently manages costs through the Community and Family Resources Department but would welcome additional resources for mass distribution. Councilmembers also pressed the commission on pursuing a permanent senior center; McGough said Bloomington currently relies on a nonpermanent center through Area 10 Agency on Aging and that the commission is exploring partnerships (YMCA, etc.) and advocacy to secure a permanent site.
Commission on the Status of Women: Shayla George presented the Commission on the Status of Women's 2024 report, noting the Women's History Month Luncheon had 261 attendees and the second annual Women's Market featured 32 women-identifying local vendors; the commission plans to expand the Young Women's Leadership Summit and increase scholarships after raising ticket prices to offset rising event costs.
How residents can help: Both commissions invited public participation: the Commission on Aging holds monthly meetings on the second Monday at 3 p.m., and the Status of Women holds meetings on the first Thursday at 5:30 p.m.; the latter asked for sponsors or scholarship donors for its luncheon and market.
