Choice in Aging Blog

Elders are Not Expendable

Mon, 06 Apr 2020 12:46:04 GMT

We are not even two weeks into a global pandemic and many in the President’s Administration and people around the country are ready to abandon our vulnerable elders to save our economy.

This is a false choice.

I oversee the administration of services that allow our oldest and frailest adults to age independently with dignity. For more than 70 years, Choice in Aging has been fighting ageism and embracing the joy and enrichment that seniors bring to our community. For this very reason, we opened an intergenerational Montessori preschool that provides periodic skills-appropriate activities to do alongside older adults; teaching our youngest that aging is not something to be feared.

As our population ages rapidly, we are at an exciting and unknown juncture: how will we break down generational barriers and allow more people to age independently, in their own homes, while retaining a sense of community?

Instead, today, we are now faced with the horror that our elderly and vulnerable are expendable. This is not who we are. We do not leave our most vulnerable alone to face catastrophe. This idea that someone who is old has served his or her useful purpose and is now a burden to our economy – to this I say, “Oh, hell, no!”

My greatest life lesson came from a 92 year-old man when I was 17 years-old, working at the Motion Picture and TV Fund Retirement Community. He told me in his life, he learned to never regret anything. It took me years, but I finally learned it meant learning from my mistakes. That has guided me my whole adult life. And we have an opportunity to not make a mistake now.

Already, we are seeing the positive effects of sheltering in place in the Bay Area and in California; in just one week we are flattening the curve, suppressing and containing COVID-19. We are leading the country in how not to overwhelm hospitals with sick Americans of every age, not just the elderly and health-compromised.

Sheltering in place is unsettling. Many in our communities are suffering economically. This is truly a frightening time and how we respond to this crisis says everything about who we are as individuals, as a community, as a nation.

Our economy will recover, just like those stricken by COVID-19 will be given a chance to recover if we do the right thing now and stop the spread of the virus. Hospitals overwhelmed with dying people will not restore our economy.

Self-determination defines Americans. So does our social compact. It’s time to step outside ourselves and do what is right. Please, allow us to get ahead of COVID-19 and ensure it is contained before we loosen the controls in place. Please, stay home.

We should all have the privilege of growing old. How we face this crisis will have far-reaching implications for our elderly today and for how you are treated should you be given the privilege of growing old.

Debbie Toth is President and CEO of Choice in Aging and Choice in Learning, based in Pleasant Hill, CA. She was recently appointed by California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly to the California Masterplan for Aging Stakeholder Advisory Committee. The Committee is creating a blueprint for building an age-friendly environment in California.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

Thu, 12 Mar 2020 17:34:57 GMT

At Choice in Aging, the vast majority of folks we serve are frail elders with multiple chronic conditions. This is the population at greatest risk for negative impacts from the Coronavirus (COVID-19). We, like you, are committed to ensuring we are doing our part to protect those we serve each day and to flatten the curve.

At Choice in Aging, we provide medically necessary services to this population in our Adult Day Health Care centers and are addressing the current pandemic in the following ways:

» Keeping calm and informed at all times

» Providing ongoing real time education for our staff, participants, families and social media connections

» Increasing and magnifying safety protocols around universal precautions and prevention of disease spread including: Increasing hand-washing and surface sanitizing for all staff, participants and spaces in our licensed medical adult day health care programs

» Working with transit agencies and accessible transit providers to employ new and ongoing sanitization practices before and after vehicle usage

» Ensuring staff who are sick or experiencing symptoms are not coming in to work

» Sneezing into the crux of our arms (allergy season – no need to panic from an allergy sneeze, but act as if you could be sick and not know it)

» Not touching our faces and where possible, keeping safe distances between people

» Daily research on updates and communicating out to staff and families if information changes

» Disseminating information from county health officials in each of the counties we provide services

» Working with experts in our field and experts in the medical field daily to ensure we are evolving our thinking and practices with the greatest real time data

Beyond our Adult Day Health Care programs, we provide Intergenerational Montessori Preschool, transitions out of skilled nursing facilities, nursing and social work care management in frail elders’ homes, transportation and more. We are currently monitoring how we do these with the least amount of spread and risk. We have temporarily suspended our intergenerational programming, monitoring closures and today announced to staff that we will be implementing remote working mandat es and parameters for social distancing in all we do.

We will continue to keep you apprised and appreciate your partnership and support in protecting the frailest among us.

Please do your part! Stay home when possible and you can follow all of the above precautions as well!

Debbie Toth Appointed to Master Plan for Aging Stakeholder Advisory Committee

Fri, 16 Aug 2019 21:07:51 GMT

President & CEO Debbie Toth of Choice in Aging (CiA) was appointed to the prestigious inaugural Master Plan for Aging Stakeholder Advisory Committee by Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly of California Health and Human Services. The committee is comprised of 30 leaders in California from Health Care, Foundations, Academia, and more. They will be tasked with coming together and informing the development of a master plan to make California an age friendly state. The diverse Committee will formulate best practices to guide the work of state government, local communities, private organizations, and philanthropy to build environments that promote healthy aging. “The thought of having a seat at the table with the leaders in our industry that will drive the policy of how we age has been a dream of mine, since I started working in senior care in high school,” enthused Toth, “I am very humbled and grateful to Secretary Ghaly and Governor Gavin Newsom for affording me this amazing opportunity.”

For over 70 years CiA has been serving the frailest members of the community, and fighting for their rights. The historic demographic challenges and changes that California is facing have not been adequately addressed. California has the largest and most diverse aging population in the country, and it is estimated that by 2030 one in five Californians will be 65 or older. This committee serves to prepare the state with a plan. “This is our time to come together to build an age-friendly California”, said Dr. Ghaly. “Government cannot do this alone — I challenge all Californians to join us in building a California Dream that is inclusive of our older and disabled neighbors.”

Choice in Aging Named a California Nonprofit of the Year

Tue, 11 Jun 2019 23:25:35 GMT

Choice in Aging (CiA) is proud to announce it has been selected as a 2019 California Nonprofit of the Year by Assemblymember Tim Grayson. CiA President & CEO Debbie Toth joined the California Association of Nonprofits (CalNonprofits), Assemblymembers and State Senators along with 100 other nonprofits on June 5th at a luncheon at the Capitol in Sacramento. “With so many incredible nonprofits serving our community, we are honored to have been selected for this recognition. Older adults are often overlooked in our society, and we so appreciate Assemblymember Tim Grayson honoring them through selecting Choice in Aging,” stated Toth.

Since 1949, CiA has been removing barriers to independence for the frail and people with disabilities, while supporting their hero caregivers and families. CiA has adult day health programs that provide complex case management, nursing, physical, speech, art, music and horticulture therapies, social work and a healthy meal, and most importantly a sense of community all disguised as fun, while giving their caregivers and their families much needed respite. In 2017 CiA opened Choice in Learning Montessori Preschool, bringing intergenerational programming and education together for the first time to Pleasant Hill.

“Nonprofits are often hidden in plain sight,” explains Jan Masoaka, CEO of CalNonprofits. “California Nonprofits Day is an opportunity for our elected official to celebrate the good work they see nonprofits doing in their districts, and for everyone to appreciate the collective impact of nonprofits in our communities.” There are 72,000 nonprofits in California, providing one in every 14 jobs. California nonprofits generate over $200 billion in revenue and bring in $40 billion in revenue from outside California. The unpaid labor contributed by volunteers at nonprofits is equivalent to 450,000 full-time jobs every year. CiA is proud to have provided 70 years of nonprofit community service and look forward to 70 more.

Happy Older Americans Month!

Mon, 06 May 2019 15:06:47 GMT

Each year in May, we celebrate Older Americans Month. For 2019, the theme is Connect, Create, Contribute, which encourages older adults and their communities to:

» Connect with friends, family, and services that support participation.

» Create by engaging in activities that promote learning, health, and personal enrichment.

» Contribute time, talent, and life experience to benefit others.

Communities that encourage the contributions of older adults are stronger! By engaging and supporting all community members, we recognize that older adults play a key role in the vitality of our neighborhoods, networks, and lives.

Older Americans Month 2019 will include suggestions, resources, and material to celebrate older Americans and the communities of which they are a vital part. You can promote the observance of Older Americans Month on social media using #OAM19 and #ConnectCreateContribute.

Everyone benefits when everyone can participate. We encourage you to connect, create, and contribute for stronger and more diverse communities this May, and throughout the year.

Debbie Toth Recieves 2018 Contra Costa Chair of the Board Award

Sat, 22 Dec 2018 00:54:38 GMT

We are so proud to announce that our fearless leader, Debbie Toth, was presented with the Contra Costa Chair of the Board Award! Debbie was awarded on Tuesday, December 18th by Karen Mitchoff, Chair, Board of Supervisors, District IV.

The award exemplifies the very best in public service and dedication to the County’s mission, vision, and values.

In attendance, were over 15 of Debbie’s closest supporters, including Choice in Aging Board Chair Stephen D. Conlin, Board Member Sheryl Rowold, Choice in Aging employees, colleagues from other agencies, and Pleasant Hill City Council Member, Sue Noack.

To learn more about the award and Debbie’s work for our aging community, you can read the full article by East County Today .

Thank you to Mark Lampkin for the photo.