IMPORTANCE ADVOCACYof

While many in the community think of the Sowega Council on Aging (SCOA) primarily as a provider of senior programs, the truth is that advocacy is at the heart of all the work they do.

“It is important to remember that as an area agency on aging one of the main purposes of our existence is to advocate for the seniors of southwest Georgia to make sure they are being heard and their needs are being met,” says Izzie Sadler, SCOA executive director.

Sadler stresses the importance of public input in the advocacy process. The SCOA holds a public hearing in October of each year to encourage information sharing about the issues facing area seniors, speaking with consumers, volunteers, supporters and the community about the issues that are important to them.

“We have a great turnout from other senior advocates and providers, but we want to encourage more seniors to attend because they are the best people to help identify both gaps and redundancies in senior services. We are seeking more information, and we need more people to provide that information.”

The next opportunity to participate will be this year’s public hearing which will be held October 24 at 10 am at the Regional Resource Center at 335 W. Society Avenue.

Another key advocacy initiative, the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, seeks to improve the quality of life for residents of long-term care facilities. These representatives of the Office of the Georgia Long-Term Care Ombudsman work to protect the rights of residents including the right to be free from abuse, neglect, and exploitation. The program covers the southern part of Georgia (South Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program) which includes 48 counties and serves more than 12,500 residents in over 350 licensed personal care, assisted living, and community living arrangement homes. Ombudsmen field complaints from residents and work to resolve those issues.

SCOA‘s mission also includes advocating at the local, state, and national levels for funding and legislation that align with the needs of older adults in the community. By working with other advocates for seniors across the state and as part of specialized national groups, the SCOA ensures that southwest Georgia’s voice is heard about important issues.

Sadler also encourages citizens to join the Coalition of Advocates for Georgia’s Elderly (CO-AGE), a forum begun and led by the Georgia Council on Aging to address the concerns of older Georgians. The group provides information and recommends actions to reach legislators who will be creating policy and voting on issues.

“CO-AGE does the legwork for you,” says Sadler. “They can identify your representatives, send you emails about issues, and provide verbiage to communicate your position on those issues. Anyone can join CO-AGE and add their voice to the conversation.”

But it doesn’t take any type of formal program to be a grassroots advocate for the aging.

“Anyone can be an advocate just by