The Texas Health and Human Services Commission is marking Healthy Aging Month in September by highlighting resources for older Texans and inviting the public to help shape the state’s Aging Texas Well Strategic Plan, according to a Sept. 23 news release from the agency.
HHSC said the plan will focus on access to services, healthy aging, caregiver support and age-friendly communities. Texans can complete a short online form to choose their level of participation in developing the plan, the agency said.
Gov. Greg Abbott issued a proclamation encouraging Texans to recognize the contributions of older adults and to support healthy aging across the state, the release noted.
“Older Texans have helped build and sustain communities as educators, mentors and community leaders,” HHS Executive Commissioner Stephanie Muth said. “Healthy Aging Month honors their contributions and encourages Texans to stay healthy, connected and informed as they age.”
According to HHSC, Area Agencies on Aging provide nutrition, legal, care coordination and other supportive services to people 60 and older, their family members and caregivers, while Aging and Disability Resource Centers provide referrals and help people access long-term services and specialized supports. The agency also pointed to Age Well Live Well, a statewide initiative built around three core messages of being healthy, connected and informed; Texercise, which offers free physical activity and nutrition resources for adults 45 and older; and Strengthen the Care You Give, which provides caregivers with resources for self-care, peer support and mental health.
With Medicare open enrollment beginning in October, local Area Agency on Aging and Aging and Disability Resource Center offices can provide benefits counseling services for older Texans, the agency said. More information is available on the HHSC Resources website.