FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 7, 2010
CONTACT: Martha Hanson
802-828-2226 – O
802-535-9684 – C
– ADVISORY –
Thursday: Lt. Gov. Brian Dubie wraps up healthy aging tour in Southeastern Vermont
Lt. Gov. soliciting feedback on Healthy Aging Commission Report & Recommendations
Montpelier, Vt., July 7, 2010 — On Thursday, July 8, Healthy Aging Commission Chair Lt. Governor Brian Dubie will travel to Springfield, Bellows Falls and Woodstock, soliciting feedback on the Commission’s recently-released 2010 Healthy Aging Report & Recommendations to the governor.
This will be the fifth and final day of Lt. Gov. Dubie’s statewide tour. Council on Aging for Southeastern Vermont Director Joyce Lemire will accompany Lt. Governor Dubie for the day.
Dubie launched the tour in early June in the Northeast Kingdom with Ken Gordon of the Northeast Vermont Area Agency on Aging and Commission member Mary Daly of Fairlee, and in Rutland with Barbara Hanson and Sally Conrad of the Southwestern Vermont Council on Aging. On Tuesday, he was joined by Mary West of the Champlain Valley Agency on Aging and Commission member Nancy Lang, who also serves as AARP’s Northeast Regional Volunteer Director. On Wednesday, Nancy Lang, along with Central Vermont Council on Aging Director Beth Stern and Nutrition Resources Coordinator Kathy Paquet joined the lieutenant governor for three stops in Central Vermont.
So far, Lt. Gov. Dubie says feedback from seniors has run the gamut of topics, from preventative care, chronic disease management and home safety to nutrition, neighbors helping neighbors, support for senior centers, housing needs and taxes, transportation, role models for healthy aging and “elder-proofing your home”.
Dubie said, “It has been a breath of fresh air to meet with older Vermonters in a variety of settings, and listen to their thoughts and suggestions on issues that affect more of us, and our families, than ever before. As Chair of the Governor’s Commission on Healthy Aging, I have made it a priority to make our state a place where all older Vermonters can enjoy a good quality of life, better financial security, continued opportunities for personal growth, healthier living and more affordable health care, independence and closeness to community.”
The report was developed by the 15-member Governor’s Commission on Healthy Aging and focuses on high priority healthy aging issues as well as recommendations for extending healthy aging goals in Vermont. The commission has advanced these 12 recommendations with particular attention to the promotion of evidence-based programs.
The Governor’s Commission on Healthy Aging’s main mission is to recommend to the Governor ways that state government can reach out to communities and the private sector, as well as the agencies that provide services, to help make healthy aging a common theme for all seniors across Vermont. Lt. Governor Dubie has chaired the commission since its inception in March, 2005.
Thursday’s itinerary: 2010 HEALTHY AGING TOUR
Day 5: Thursday, 7 July
Southeastern Vermont
8:45 – 9:15 a.m.
Springfield Senior Center
139 Main St., Springfield
Discussion on Healthy Aging
Terri Emerson 885-3933
9:15 – 10:30 a.m.
Visit to Council on Aging Offices
56 Main St. Suite 202, Springfield
Tour offices talk with staff about aging issues in Southeastern Vermont and about the recommendations in the Commission’s report
11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Bellows Falls Exercise Class
1 Hospital Court, Bellows Falls
Ronnie Friedman 387-5729
Observe exercise program and discussion on Healthy Aging
1:30 – 2:30 p.m.
Woodstock Senior Center
1141 Senior Lane, Woodstock
Paula Audsley 457-3277
Discussion on Healthy Aging
