Council seeks strategies to help aging residents stay in place and access services

Council members agreed Westminster should plan for an aging population by exploring services and housing options that let older residents stay in place, and by promoting existing senior programming and transit subsidies.

Discussion points included expanding home‑visit or in‑home supports, working with volunteer networks to provide small‑task assistance (for example, moving furniture or minor home maintenance), advertising existing senior benefits (an example cited: a $27 monthly pass covering multiple transit services for seniors) and ensuring recreation programming has adequate capacity. Councilors emphasized leveraging county and nonprofit resources where possible.

Staff replied that Parks, Recreation and Libraries already tracks senior programming and that staff will return with opportunities to better advertise existing services, expand volunteer matchmaking, and explore partnerships to provide home care and other aging supports. Councilors asked for an analysis of gaps between existing services and the needs identified in the city’s housing needs assessment and citizen surveys.

What’s next: staff will inventory senior services, evaluate underused volunteer channels for a pilot assistance program, and return with communication proposals to increase resident awareness of available programs.