Local News Comments

Where was this forum meeting held?

When is the next forum meeting?

Moderator: The previous news story before the event: http://www.mymotherlode.com/news/local/1971384/Forum-Will-Look-At-Senior-Issues.html

The Tuolumne County website lists the Housing Division of the Community Development Department is at 48 West Yaney Ave. Sonora, CA 95370 (4th floor, Francisco Bldg.) Phone: (209) 533-5633

It was an excellent forum. Some of the statistics presented about poverty amongst the senior population in this county (nearly 40% of the county's population is over 55, by the way) made one's hair stand on end, especially the number of seniors who live in their cars. The acute shortage of assisted living facilities and transportation for the elderly is also a major problem. We need a much more coordinated approach to the aging issue in this county. There are a lot of agencies that can provide help, but there is no coherent overall plan. The County administration in particular needs to take the lead on this.

So much need but so little funding.

With nearly 40% of the county's population being over 55 there clearly is not enough disabled parking provided.

Contacted Realtors and let them know "tiny houses" are perfect for most of us who do not want to live in a mobile home park. The architecture fits in with the "Gold Country" history. Can be place on a "small" plot of land in a "village" where each plot is individually owned. Sonora Hills homes are privately owned but the land they are on is leased and the cost rises rapidly.

http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/products/harbinger/#ad-image-19

Area 12 Agency On Aging has been a lifesaver for us this past year.
So I would say they know what they are doing. I tell any care givers I know to call them for support. THEY REALLY SAVED MY LIFE when I was ready to walk away from a very bad situation from really bad hospital in the valley....thank you Area 12

I picked up a senior who was hitch hiking in between storms.He had taken the bus but it wouldn't be back for 3 hours. I called my husband and he said it was o.k. to take him home due to the weather. When I helped him with his seat belt he had a holster with gun and handcuffs. I am so glad I had told my husband to call the cops if I wasn't home in an hour.This gentle man (he was) was 78 and he said the hardest part of living alone is the long stretches in the bus schedule for seniors who need to shop, maybe 30 minutes. Then a 2 hour wait for the bus. I miss dial a ride. NO more picking up senior hitch hikers for me, I've already given up on the young ones but to think he needs to have a weapon means that not all is going well with the senior population....God kept me safe that day,thankyou

Transportation is a major issue here in the county, but like a lot of other needs, there isn't enough money to provide more than a bare bones bus service for everyone. The Transit folks do the best they can with the resources they have available. We also need more volunteer drivers - I drive several days a month for one of the local agencies, and I get to see where and how people are living, and some of them would be completely isolated without said services. Most of the clients I drive are elderly women, who moved up here with their spouses a few years back and bought their "dream home", usually out in the woods somewhere. Their husbands have since died, and they can't drive themselves any more, so they would be completely stuck for food or medical treatments without this service.