Commission on Aging

Our mission:  as community ambassadors, the Commission on Aging provides leadership, advocacy, community awareness, and develops partnerships to initiate positive change toward an all-age friendly, livable community.

 

Who We Are

We know that Clark County’s population is aging.

By 2035, the United States will ‐ for the first time ever – be a country that has more older adults than children. By that time, here in Clark County, more than 25% of the population, or one in four residents, will be 60 and better.  

In 2012, the then‐county commissioners adopted the Aging Readiness Plan following an 18‐ month study in which more than two dozen people from across the county evaluated the community’s readiness for, and ability to serve, a quickly growing number of older residents.

In addition to adopting the county’s Aging Readiness Plan in 2012, the County Commissioners also created the volunteer Commission on Aging.

The commission’s charge is to provide leadership in addressing the special needs of the aging population and to manage and assist with the implementation of the county’s Aging Readiness Plan.

View the Commission on Aging: 

What We Do

The diagram below illustrates the work in which the commission is engaged. Education, Awareness, and Advocacy are the means by which the commission carries out its charge to provide leadership to manage and implement the Aging Readiness Plan. The topical focus areas in the image align with the Aging Readiness Plan chapters.

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Each year, the Commission on Aging invites experts to join moderated discussions regarding a specific focus topic throughout the year. Members discuss the topic with their guests and answer questions from the audience. Based on those discussions, policy recommendations to support older adults are made to the Clark County Council and city councils and are outlined in an annual report. View the current and previous versions of the annual report here.   

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Staff Contacts

Susan Ellinger, Planner III
susan.ellinger@clark.wa.gov
564.397.4516 

Amy Wooten, Planner III
amy.wooten@clark.wa.gov
564.397.4913

Looking for services or resources?

The Commission on Aging is not a direct service provider and therefore recommends older adults, caregivers and others seeking services to consult the Area Agency on Aging and Disabilities of Southwest Washington (AAADSW)

AAADSW works in partnership with service providers to provide a comprehensive, easily accessible, and coordinated system of home and community-based services for older adults, family caregivers, adults living with a disability, and their families. They are a federally designated Area Agency on Aging and part of the state and national network of Area Agencies on Aging.

Their purpose is to promote the independence, dignity, and well-being of people with disabilities and those over the age of 60 using a coordinated system of home and community-based services.

Commission News

Clark County recognizes that older adults are valuable contributors to the vitality of this community. To encourage and support older adults for their contributions, the Clark County Commission on Aging has established a program to recognize older adults by means of the annual Silver Citizen Award, presented at a Commission on Aging event.

The recipient of the 2023 Silver Citizen Award is Pat Suggs. Pat is a resident of Washougal and has devoted her volunteer time to the Camas-Washougal community through a variety of organizations. Learn more here.


Apply to join the commission

COA is seeking applicants for three positions. Submission deadline is 5 pm Friday, March 29, 2024. Positions begin June 1, 2024. Find out more by clicking on the plus sign below.

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Clark County is seeking applicants for three positions on its Commission on Aging. The commission manages and implements the county’s Aging Readiness Plan and fosters countywide awareness, dialogue and insight into challenges and opportunities for residents of all ages, incomes and abilities.

Positions begin June 1, 2024. Volunteers typically serve three-year terms, which will end May 31, 2027. Residents living anywhere in Clark County may apply.

The county is looking for people who can bring:

  • Interest and experience in issues and advocacy for older adults, related to housing; transportation/mobility; supportive services; healthy communities; community engagement; and emergency preparedness which are elements of the Aging Readiness Plan; 
  • Ethnic, cultural, social, and geographic diversity to the group; and
  • Outstanding strategic communication and public speaking skills and experience meeting with a wide range of individuals and organizations.

The Commission is focusing their 2024 work on emergency preparedness. 

The commission meets 3:15-6 p.m. on the third Wednesday of each month, which includes a work session followed by a public meeting with informational presentations/discussions. Additional meetings, review of materials and related tasks may require an extra 10 hours per month. Meetings currently are being held in a hybrid format, with in-person and virtual options to attend.

Applicants should submit a résumé and letter of interest to Michelle Pfenning, County Manager’s Office, at Michelle.Pfenning@clark.wa.gov. Applications also may be mailed to P.O. Box 5000, Vancouver, WA 98666-5000.

Submission deadline is 5 pm Friday, March 29, 2024.

The Aging Readiness Plan covers access to housing, transportation, health and safety, a variety of lifestyles, support services, and civic or social engagement. For more on the plan visit this page

Contact Info:
Susan Ellinger, Community Planning, 564.397.4516; susan.ellinger@clark.wa.gov 
Amy Wooten, Community Planning, 564.397.4913; amy.wooten@clark.wa.gov

Join a Meeting

The Commission on Aging typically meets at 4:30 p.m. on the third Wednesday of each month.  They hold work sessions prior to the formal meeting at 3:15 p.m.

Meetings are being held in a hybrid format with both in-person and virtual participation options for commissioners, staff, and the public. 

You can join in person, on the 6th floor of the Public Service Center, 1300 Franklin Street, Vancouver, WA 98666, or virtually via WebEx. 

Learn More

 

To request public records involving the Aging Readiness Plan or Commission on Aging, contact the staff listed above.