Action Requested:  Please print and post the attached flyer Master Plan for Older Adults and share the survey link with the accompanying message as appropriate.

Office of Commonwealth Libraries is distributing this information to the library field because libraries serve diverse communities that include a large number of older adults; we hope this survey reaches as many older adults as possible to ensure the plan is inclusive.

For context, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is developing a new Master Plan for Older Adults to address the needs of older people and people with disabilities.  Governor Shapiro issued Executive Order 2023-09 in May 2023 instructing the Pennsylvania Department of Aging to lead this effort.  The flyer and messsage are designed to support data collection as part of a statewide needs assessment for olders adults.  The information collected in the survey will be used to help determine what older adults and their caregivers/care partners would like to see included in the plan. This survey is designed to capture the experience of older adults and adults with disabilities.  There is space at the end of the survey to share other suggestions or issues you find important.

Click here to access the survey or paste this link into your browser: https://bit.ly/PA_OA_DA.  The survey will be open until 09/30/2023.  More information about the Master Plan for Older Adults can be found on the Pennsylvania Department of Aging website.  Please share the link to this survey and the attached flyer as widely as possible and include it in appropriate communications between now and September 30, 2023.

Please feel free to use the suggested text below when distributing this survey via your communications to older adults and adults with disabilities:

[ORGANIZATON NAME]  is helping the Pennsylvania Department of Aging gain important stakeholder feedback to assist in the development of a new Master Plan for Older Adults. We are asking all our [CLIENTS/MEMBERS/PARTICIPANTS] to please fill out the survey here to share your experience on what it means to age in Pennsylvania. Your opinions matter and your feedback is crucial to guide policies and program for older adults and adults with disabilities for the next decade!

All responses are anonymous and will be used to create a profile of the needs of older adults and adults with disabilities that will inform the Commonwealth’s planning process.

This project is being led by Dr. Howard B. Degenholtz and Dr. Steven Albert from the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health. Please use this link to share any questions or concerns you have about the process.

Thank you for your assistance in this effort.