18%
of Colorado population is over 65Advocacy and Education
The CU Anschutz Multidisciplinary Center on Aging participates regularly at the State Capital in advocacy and education of elected officials, staffers, and the community about issues that greatly impact older Coloradans. As Coloradans age, we advocate to ensure that older adults have the services, resources, and community support needed to thrive.
57%
of total population growth in Colorado is 65+By 2034
more Coloradans will be 65+ than under the age of 18Colorado Demography Office Statistics, 2023
40,000 Coloradans will retire each year until 2029. Older Coloradans provide a tremendous resource for the State of Colorado to work, advocate, educate and contribute to opportunities throughout the state.
Why is Advocacy Important?
The CU Anschutz Multidisciplinary Center on Aging (MCoA) is dedicated to amplifying the voices of older Coloradans through advocacy and education. Collaborating with community stakeholders and elected officials, the MCoA has played a key role in creating impactful legislation, such as expanding geriatric clinical care and removing identifying dates from job applications to combat ageism in the workplace. Additionally, the MCoA actively engages with various advocacy forums, including the Aging Caucus at the State Capital, Colorado Center for Aging Advocacy Committee Meetings, Colorado Commission on Aging Public Meetings, and the Bell Policy Workforce Collaborative. These efforts aim to inform policymakers and the community about legislative issues affecting older adults while promoting the importance of advocacy and ensuring that age-appropriate services are accessible to all residents.
Legislation Success
While the MCoA has had several legislative successes, there are many legislative bills that have not passed, and it is important to year after year continue to educate policymakers, advocate for issues and continue to elevate the voice for older Coloradans. We need you to help us with this important work. Please email jodi.waterhouse@cuanshutz.edu if you are interested in getting more involved in advocacy.
More Ways to Get Involved in Advocacy
The Mission of Colorado Center for Aging is to educate and inform the public, community leaders and elected officials on diverse communities across the state and issues that impact the health and well-being of older Coloradans.
We make policy and rule-making processes accessible and understandable while providing an advocacy platform for the issues most impacting older Coloradans.
https://coloradocenterforaging.org/
The Colorado Commission on Aging (CCOA) is the state’s primary advisory body on all matters affecting older Coloradans. CCOA is a governor-appointed, citizen-led, multidisciplinary commission, comprised of representatives from both the public and private sectors, various professional and personal experiences, and cultural and diverse backgrounds across the state. The CCOA coordinates and contributes to guiding programs, services, projects, policies, procedures, and resources in the area of aging. It also guides the implementation of the Lifelong Colorado Plan for Aging, the state’s strategic action plan on aging.
https://cdhs.colorado.gov/ccoa
Colorado Coalition on Aging Research (CoCare)
CoCare is a network of Colorado University programs focused on aging research, clinical and applied services, outreach, and education. CoCare plays a key role for forming collaborative groups, job searching, lobbying, proposing new legislation, and raising awareness of aging issues around the State of Colorado.