REGULAR MEETING OF THE COMMISSION ON AGING MAY 13, 2026, 12:00 P.M. AUSTIN CITY HALL, BOARDS & COMMISSIONS ROOM 301 W 2ND ST AUSTIN, TEXAS 78701 Some members of the Commission on Aging may be participating by videoconference. Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely via telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once either in-person or remotely and will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. Registration no later than noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation by telephone. To register to speak remotely, call or email Ryan Sperling, 512-974-3568, Ryan.Sperling@austintexas.gov. CURRENT COMMISSIONERS: Richard Bondi, Chair Teresa Ferguson, Vice Chair Austin Adams Suzanne Anderson Martin Kareithi Faith Lane Fred Lugo Judi L Nudelman Jennifer Scott Luan Tran AGENDA Preston Tyree Henry Van de Putte Selina Yee Xiaoyi Zeng Commission on Aging Community Service Awards Announcement CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL The first ten speakers signed up prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Commission on Aging regular meeting of April 8, 2026. STAFF BRIEFINGS 2. Briefing regarding emergency preparedness services for older adults. Presentation by Ana Urueta, Emergency Management Manager, Austin Public Health. DISCUSSION ITEMS 3. Presentation regarding ongoing changes to Medicare. Presentation by Rosemary Monsivais, Medicare Consultant, Independent Insurance Broker. 4. Update on closing out the 2021-2025 Age Friendly Action Plan. Presentation by Nicole Alexander, Age Friendly Program Coordinator, Halana Kaleel, Public Health Community Engagement Specialist, Austin Public Health. 5. Discussion regarding activities around Older Americans Month. 6. Discussion regarding the 2026 Fair Housing & Economic Mobility Conference held on April 29th . 7. Update on discussion held and action taken at the most recent Joint Inclusion Committee meeting. 8. Discussion regarding the current version of the new Age Friendly Action Plan, including how the commission can build, bridge, and champion to support the plan, together with the Healthy Aging Continuum and what topics the commission should be focused on." COMMITTEE UPDATES 9. Update from the Age Friendly Advisory Committee regarding their first meeting and dates of future meetings. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ADJOURNMENT The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon …
COMMISSION ON AGING MINUTES REGULAR MEETING WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 2026 The Commission on Aging convened in a regular meeting on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, at Austin City Hall, Boards and Commissions Room 1101, 301 W 2nd Street in Austin, Texas. Chair Bondi called the Commission on Aging Meeting to order at 12:06 p.m. Commissioners in Attendance: Richard Bondi (Chair) Dr. Luan Tran Henry Van de Putte Xiaoyi Zeng Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Teresa Ferguson (Vice Chair) Suzanne Anderson Fred Lugo Judi Nudelman Jennifer Scott PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL Hanna Cofer – HOME Austin Susana Almanza – Meals for elderly Raisa Reyes- Meals for elderly Breanda Zuniga- Meals for elderly APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Commission on Aging regular meeting of March 11, 2026. The minutes of the March 11, 2026 meeting were approved on Commissioner Van de Putte’s motion, Commissioner Anderson’s second on a 9-0 vote. Commissioners Adams, Kareithi, Lane, Tyree, and Yee were absent. STAFF BRIEFINGS 2. Staff briefing regarding an update on the Levers of Economic Mobility Index. Presentation by Gary Aaron, Business Process Consultant Sr., and Shivani Datar, Business Process Specialist, Austin Equity & Inclusion. 1 The presentation was made by Gary Aaron, Business Process Consultant Sr., and Shivani Datar, Business Process Specialist, Austin Equity & Inclusion. DISCUSSION ITEMS 3. Presentation regarding Advancing Population Health. Presentation by Dr. Luan Tran, Commission on Aging member. The presentation was made by Dr. Luan Tran. 4. Discussion regarding the Continuum of Care for aging. Discussion was held. 5. Discussion regarding the new Commission on Aging webpage. Chair Bondi showed commissioners the new webpage. Discussion was held. 6. Discussion on budget recommendations approved at the March 25, 2026 Joint Inclusion Committee meeting relating to Commission on Aging. Update by Chair Bondi. Discussion was held. 7. Discussion recapping the March 23rd Human Rights Workshop by Austin Equity and Inclusion. Discussion was held. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 8. Approve a recommendation from the Community Service Award Working Group regarding its nominees for the Commission on Aging 2026 Volunteer and Professional Service Awards. There was a motion by Chair Bondi, seconded by Commissioner Zeng, to award the Volunteer Award to the nominee who is driving for seniors and volunteering through Engage. The motion was approved on a 9-0 vote. Commissioners Adams, Kareithi, Lane, Tyree, and Yee were absent. There was a motion by Chair Bondi, seconded by Vice Chair Ferguson to …
Update: Closing out the 2021-2025 Age Friendly Action Plan Austin Public Health | May 13th, 2026 History & Evolution of the Action Plan The journey toward an Age-Friendly designation began in 2012 with the Mayor’s Task Force on Aging: ▪ 2013: Recommendation for AARP Age-Friendly Community designation and the formation of the Commission on Seniors (now Commission on Aging). ▪ 2016: Austin City Council adopted the Age-Friendly Action Plan as an addendum to the City’s Comprehensive Plan. ▪ 2019: The first-ever Age-Friendly Program Coordinator was hired. ▪ 2022–2023: Following a 2022 City Audit that found the program "effective" but in need of resources, a second staff position was added to focus on community engagement. 2 Key Partnerships & Notable Achievements Key Partnerships Our work is powered by a coalition of partners, including Meals on Wheels of Central Texas, AGE of Central Texas, CapMetro, and the Area Agency on Aging. Notable Achievements (2021–2025) ▪ Completion of the first Older Adults Quality of Life (QoL) Study (2025), engaging 1,076 residents to set measurable progress scores. ▪ Improving park access to 70.1% and increasing ADA-accessible park programs from 36% to 97.5%. ▪ The 2023 Walkability Audits near grocery stores and the 2025 launch of "Spark in the Park". ▪ Launch of the Austin Senior Services Hub (November 2023) and the 2025 Age Friendly Resolution adopted by City Council. 3 Progress by Domain Domain 1: Outdoor Spaces and Buildings ▪ Expanded Access: Parkland access grew to 70.1% by 2025. Additionally, 71.7% of the community now lives within 1.7 miles of active recreational programming. ▪ Inclusive Design: ADA-accessible programming surged from 36% to 97.5% since 2022. They are just shy of their 100% goal, which ensures every program is offered at an accessible location both north and south of the Colorado River. ▪ Active Engagement: Senior enrollments grew by 49% over five years at APR, reaching a record 2,854 distinct participants. ▪ Cultural Hubs: AARC visits reached 45,188, with a 1,023% increase in senior meals. Austin Public Library facilitated over 18,000 programs for all ages. 5 Domain 2: Transportation ▪ Satisfaction: Seniors rated transportation at 7/10 in the 2025 QoL Study. ▪ The Transit Empowerment Fund through their Senior Mobility Summits coordinated efforts to increase communication and collaboration between providers of senior transportation and services. Participants included organizations such as CAPCOG, Movability, Alzheimer’s Association, Chariot, Drive a Senior, Austin Public Health, Austin Parks and Recreation, …
Preparedness for Older Adults Planning, Outreach, Coordination, & Response Austin Public Health | May 13, 2026 Outline ▪ Preparedness for Older Adults ▪ Community Outreach & Education ▪ Emergency Registry Workgroup ▪ Access to Services ▪ Partnerships ▪ Questions 2 Vulnerability Factors Age: Older adults (65+) and young children are more vulnerable. Health Conditions: Chronic illnesses like heart disease, diabetes, and respiratory issues reduce heat tolerance. Housing & Environment: Unsafe, unstable, or inaccessible housing; increase risk during emergencies. Economic Status: Limited financial resources restricting access to health care, medications, transportation, and more. Social Isolation: Living alone or lacking reliable social and caregiving networks can delay recognition of needs. Language Barriers: Limited English proficiency can hinder access to critical information. 3 Outreach & Community Education Outreach Trusted Community Spaces & Popup Events Preparedness Kits and Emergency Planning Education Connection Alerts & Vulnerable Registries (WCT, STEAR, AE MVR) 4 Heat Preparedness Outreach • Keep Austin Cool Day held on May 2, 2025 • Conley-Guerrero Senior Activity Center • Intentional focus on older adults at higher risk for heat-related illness • Shared heat safety information, cooling resources, and preparedness materials • Goal: continue building targeted outreach partnerships with senior-serving organizations 5 Cooling Center Assessment (2026) The survey will assess: · Awareness of center locations and services · Past utilization during extreme heat events · Factors influencing whether community members choose to use centers · Barriers to access · Suggestions for improvement 6 Emergency Preparedness Planning Data Sets in Austin/Travis County Austin Energy Medically Vulnerable Registry State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry HHS emPOWER Program 7 Emergency Registry Workgroup ESTABLISHED BY APH IN 2025 STRENGTHENS COORDINATION FOR MEDICALLY FRAGILE AND HIGH-RISK RESIDENTS INCLUDES CITY DEPARTMENTS, TRAVIS COUNTY, AND PARTNER AGENCIES FOCUS AREAS INCLUDE CLARIFYING ROLES, IDENTIFYING GAPS, AND ALIGNING RESOURCES IMPROVES PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE COORDINATION FOR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS 8 Reaching Community Who Cannot Access Services ▪ APH developed public health strike teams to support vulnerable residents during emergencies ▪ Support for homebound individuals, older adults, and medically vulnerable residents ▪ Teams can help bridge gaps when residents cannot access resource centers ▪ Teams are primarily composed of Community Health Workers and outreach-focused staff 9 Austin Resilience Network (ARN) ▪ Goal: Bolster community resilience before, during, & after disasters ▪ Partnership Agreement: formalized commitment to collaboration ▪ ARN Workgroup: expertise & representation in the planning process 10 11 Additional Resources ▪ Austin Energy Medically Vulnerable …
