Attachment 1 - Senior Services Roadmap Report1 ATTACHMENT 1
Senior Services Roadmap for Los Gatos
A Report Prepared for the Town of Los Gatos
by request of the Town Council
January 30, 2023
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Table of Contents
Topic
Title Page
Table of Contents
Committee Composition
Executive Summary
Overview
Actions To Date
Key Milestones
Senior Services Ecosystem in Los Gatos
Los Gatos One-Three-Ten Year Roadmap Goals
Goal 1. Appealing and Inviting Facility
Goal 2. Core Senior Services
Goal 3. Communications and Engagement
Goal 4. Volunteer Support and Engagement
Goal 5. Enhanced Transportation Options
Goal 6. Senior Housing
Goal 7. Integrated Governance, Funding,
and Accountability
Roadmap Communication
Conclusions
Page
1
2
3
4
6
7
9
19
26
26
28
31
34
36
38
40
47
48
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Senior Services Roadmap for Los Gatos
A Report Prepared for the Town of Los Gatos
by request of the Town Council
Senior Services Committee
Tom Picraux, Senior Community Leader, Chair
Maureen Heath, Senior Community Leader, Vice Chair
Matthew Hudes, Council Member
Rob Rennie, Council Member & Mayor (Sept. 2021 - Apr. 2022)
Maria Ristow, Mayor & Council Member (Apr. 2022 – Jan. 2023)
Nancy Pearson, Service Clubs (Kiwanis)
Catherine Somers, Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce
Kathy Mlinarich, Service Provider (Live Oak Nutrition)
Lisa Lenoci, Service Provider (Live Oak Adult Daycare)
Diana Miller, County Department of Aging Representation
Brennan Phelan, El Camino Hospital
Dick Konrad, CHSSC (Chair in 2022)
George Rossmann, CHSSC (Chair in 2021)
Maia Bernholz/Arshia Mathur, CHSSC Youth Representatives
Eleanor Yick, CHSSC Member
Jeff Blum, CHSSC Member
Pradeep Khanal, CHSSC Member
Arn Andrews, Assistant Town Manager, Town Liaison
January 30, 2023
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Executive Summary
The Senior Services Committee was created by the Town Council to study the needs of the
older adult community. Issues laid bare by the pandemic and identified by the Community
Health and Senior Services Commission (CHSSC) motivated this initiative. This Committee of
stakeholders, including two Councilors and chair of CHSSC, was asked to prepare a roadmap for
senior services, including a long-term vision and strategic plan. Over the past 15 months the
Committee conducted extensive data gathering and outreach, including a survey of older
households, stakeholder workshops, benchmarking of peer cities, and extensive engagement.
This Roadmap provides a 10-year plan for revitalizing senior services for the community at-
large in an age-friendly Los Gatos. Our vision is to create a community where older adults are
engaged, valued and provided equitable opportunities to thrive in an environment that protects
against isolation and promotes inclusion. Based on data, community input, and analysis, seven
goals were chosen to achieve this vision:
1) Appealing & Inviting Facility (renovate or build);
2) Core Senior Services;
3) Communication & Engagement;
4) Volunteer Support & Engagement,
5) Enhanced Transportation Options for Older Adults;
6) Senior Housing – Information on Approaches & Options;
7) Integrated Governance, Funding, & Accountability.
One, three, and 10-year activities were developed for each area as well as specific projects
with milestones. By addressing these in priority order the goals can be achieved with
sustainable Town investment and by engaging dedicated, talented members of our community.
Significant leverage will be gained through community fundraising, volunteer engagement and
government/foundation grants. At the end of 10 years our population of 55+ adults is
anticipated to be nearly 1/3 of our Town. Our goal is to move from a Town with one of the
regionally lowest, least-coordinated efforts for senior services to a thriving age-friendly Town
where older adults provide substantial contributions and support. First steps to achieve these
long-term objectives are:
● Engage Town commissions and boards to support Roadmap goals:
○ CHSSC (Communications & Engagement, Roadmap Tracking, Annual Assessment)
○ CSTC (Transportation Options for Older Adults)
○ Parks (Community Garden)
○ Other Commissions or Boards as appropriate
● Sustainably support core senior services:
○ Town: social, educational, healthy living activities provided by LGS Recreation;
○ Community: grants to services (Live Oak Nutrition, WVCS, re-establish Adult Day
Care, etc.);
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● Create an Age-Friendly Coordinator position (0.2 FTE) as the central point of contact for
coordination of Town and community older adult services, initiatives, and
accountability.
● Recognize and encourage community-lead efforts to enhance support for senior
services, including a planned 501(c)3 nonprofit Foundation (Friends of Los Gatos
Seniors) to raise funds for senior programs and for a community facility with space for
senior activities.
● Transition from planning to action by engaging the Senior Services Committee to assist
the Town in publicizing and jump-starting year 1 projects and then sunset the
Committee in 2023.
Other first year objectives include to engage volunteers and community organizations, and
to enhance accountability by an annual assessment, and inventory senior housing
opportunities.
Our study of peer cities indicates that this community Roadmap for senior services can bring
substantial benefit to the Town of Los Gatos. The experience of Saratoga, Palo Alto, and
Morgan Hill demonstrates that developing a robust senior services program through a city-
community partnership can significantly increase resources for older adult programs without
substantially increasing the cost to the city and with the benefits extending to all residents.
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Overview
This section provides a high level overview of the Senior Services Roadmap for the Los Gatos
community at large and the essential first steps required in year one to achieve the Roadmap’s
10 year vision. It is a community plan, recognizing that the Town cannot provide all services.
Roadmap 1-3-10 Year Vision
The 1-3-10 year goals of the Roadmap supports the vision for Los Gatos fully participating as
an age-friendly community.
Our Roadmap for Senior Services vision includes a transition from fragmented services to a
coordinated partnership, including greater older adult community engagement over the one-
three-ten year period.
Year One Implementation
Much progress has been made over the last 15 months in planning, engaging the older adult
population, and in gaining the enthusiastic support of community leaders. For this progress to
not be lost there are several steps that the Committee recommends the Town Council take.
Consistent with the Town’s current financial environment these near term steps have been
tailored to require limited financial investment to sustain the effort while beginning to put in
place the community structure needed for future senior services support at the local, regional,
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and state level. Our benchmarking studies have shown that resources supporting senior
programs and facilities can be greatly increased through such community efforts that serve to
supplement limited municipal resources. These resource additions will be essential to achieve
the 10 year vision of the Roadmap. Key steps requested of the Town Council to achieve this
progress are:
1) Engage commissions and ad hoc committees in support of the Roadmap goals (e.g., CHSSC
for increased communication and engagement, CSTC for senior transportation, Parks
Commission for Community Garden, etc.);
2) Sustainably support core senior services:
- Town: social, educational, healthy living activities provided by LGS Recreation,
- Community: grants to services (Live Oak Nutrition, WVCS, re-establish Adult Day Care, etc.);
3) Create an Age-Friendly Coordinator position (0.2 FTE) as the central point of contact for
coordination of Town and community older adult services, initiatives, and accountability;
4) Recognize and encourage community-lead efforts to enhance senior services support,
including a planned 501(c)3 nonprofit Foundation, Friends of Los Gatos Seniors, to raise funds
for senior programs and a community facility with space for senior activities.;
5) Transition from planning to action by engaging the Senior Services Committee to jump-
start year 1 projects and then sunset the Committee.
The figure below provides a visual representation of these critical steps by the Town Council
and the Community.
Actions to Date
Background
As part of the ongoing strategic priorities of the Los Gatos Town Council to enhance the
lives of older adults, the Council committed $500,000 in grants from ARPA (American Rescue
Plan Act) funds in April 2021 to non-profits for revitalizing older adult programs. Part of these
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proceeds were used for a first statistically valid survey of older adults, senior recreation and
activity programs, and to support a community health fair.
On August 3, 2021 the Los Gatos Town Council established a Senior Services Committee
(SSC) to examine in depth the longer-term senior services issues initially presented by the
Community Health and Senior Service Commission (CHSSC) and develop a road map for
revitalizing senior services in Los Gatos. Council Resolution 2021-035 provided the SSC’s
charter:
“The Committee should develop a long-term vision and strategic plan through extensive
community outreach, including workshops, that would culminate in a comprehensive report
of how best to serve the needs of the Town's older adult community. The Committee should
leverage the breadth of Committee membership and existing coalitions in the identification
and prioritization of needs and develop recommended solutions. The Committee should
take into consideration the value proposition of recommendations, estimated level of
effort, potential providers and service provision models, availability and timing of service
delivery, and future funding requirements;”
The SSC members were subsequently appointed by the Council to represent the following
areas:
o Community Health and Senior Service Commission – Two (2) members Chair and Youth
Commissioner
o Councilmembers – Two (2) Councilmembers
o Service Club Representation – One (1) member
o Chamber Representation – One (1) member
o Service Provider Representation – Two (2) members
o Senior Community Leaders – Two (2) members
o County Department of Aging Representation – One (1) member
o Healthcare Provider Representation – One (1) member
In September the membership was expanded from 12 to 16 to include all members of the
CHSSC. A list of the members and the groups they represent is given in Appendix A.
The SSC held its first meeting in September 2021 and has subsequently met on a monthly
basis (except for December 2021). Tom Picraux was elected as chair and Maureen Heath as vice
chair. Subcommittees were established by the SSC in compliance with the Brown Act on an as-
needed basis to carry out its specific tasks. A list of the subcommittees appointed and their
membership is given in Appendix B.
The Committee's initial action was to develop a plan to accomplish its tasks with an
associated timeline. It then gathered the data necessary to make an assessment of the state of
senior services in Los Gatos. This activity included supporting the first statistically valid survey of
older adults in Los Gatos, holding workshops with community groups to hear input on unmet
needs of older adults, and benchmarking senior services in Los Gatos relative to comparable
towns and cities elsewhere. The resulting findings were then used to establish a set of seven
goals for enhancing future senior services in Los Gatos. Activities needed to support these goals
were subsequently identified and used to develop detailed projects for each goal, as well as the
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requirements and resources needed to meet these goals. This information was then assembled
into this Senior Services Roadmap for delivery to the Town Council in February 2023.
In all of the work of the Committee its considerations and recommendations have been
guided by the Town’s diversity, equity and inclusivity goals. The Committee is committed to all
of these objectives in all our Roadmap goals, valuing all community members, regardless of
religion, immigration status, ethnicity, race, disability, gender, sexual orientation or gender
identity. The Committee strives to ensure all community members feel safe, respected and
comfortable to be themselves and express all aspects of their identities and oppose any
attempts to undermine the safety, security and rights of any members of our community. In
addition the Committee has embraced the previous goals of Los Gatos in becoming an Age-
Friendly City and the Committee has developed its recommendations consistent with the WHO
and AARP Age-Friendly Cities initiative that encourages promoting opportunities for older
people to participate fully in town life (active aging), to continue to live independently for as
long as possible in their community, and to live in a community where people of all ages are
engaged, valued and afforded equitable opportunities to thrive.
Throughout the work of the Committee, the Town Council has approved key milestones
developed by the Committee to assure alignment with the Council’s objectives. The following
Section III.B. provides an overview of the key milestones accomplished by the Committee in
developing the data needed to establish a long-term road map. In the course of the work of the
Committee to develop long-term goals it became apparent that there were some short-term
actions that could be taken immediately. These actions not only benefited older adults but also
served to provide valuable insights in the development of the longer-term goals. They are
summarized in Section III.B.6 below.
Key Milestones
During the fall of 2022 the Committee developed the following Vision and Mission for a
Senior Services Roadmap. The Town Council approved these guiding principles in February
2022.
Vision
“CREATING A COMMUNITY WHERE OLDER ADULTS THRIVE
Our vision is to create a community where older adults are engaged, valued and provided
equitable opportunities to thrive in an environment that protects against isolation and
promotes inclusion.”
The Committee Vision is illustrated visually in the graphic on the following page.
Mission
Our mission is to provide an age-friendly community that:
● Provides resources and facilities for older adults to live full and healthy lives with
volunteer and leadership opportunities that provide a sense of purpose, connection
and belonging.
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● Promotes physical activity and physical, cognitive, mental and spiritual health for
socially enriching lives.
● Promotes adequate and healthy nutrition through community programs.
● Embraces walkable spaces with safe, accessible and affordable transportation.
● Promotes increased participation
and communication with the
older adult community.
● Partners with local agencies that
provide services and assistance
for older adults, creating a
network that supports public
information that delivers
services in a coordinated and
collaborative manner.
● Ensures accountability by
measuring and monitoring the
results of efforts to provide
services for older adults.
The Committee also developed a Work
Plan for development of the road map,
which is given in Appendix C.
Benchmarked Survey
The Saratoga Area Senior Coordinating Committee (SASCC) was funded to implement and
manage the administration of this Community Assessment Survey for Older Adults (CASOA) by
POLCO in partnership with the National Resource Center (NRC), and the Committee
participated in that effort. SASCC previously worked with POLCO to conduct the CASOA survey
in Saratoga. CASOA provides a statistically valid survey of the strengths and needs of older
adults as reported by older adults themselves. Aspects of livability are explored within six
community dimensions: Community Design, Employment and Finances, Equity and Inclusivity,
Health and Wellness, Information and Assistance, and Productive Activities. Overall community
quality is assessed also. The report is intended to enable local governments, community-based
organizations, the private sector, and other community members to understand more
thoroughly and predict more accurately the services and resources required to serve an aging
population.
The Committee worked with SASCC to develop the CASOA survey for Los Gatos and the
survey was launched in early February 2022. The survey concluded in mid-March 2022. A total
of 2,400 households with an adult member 60 years or older were randomly selected to receive
the survey. Completed surveys from 529 older adults were obtained, providing an overall
response rate of 22.0 % and a margin of error +/- 4.26%. An open participation survey was also
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offered and a total of 102 additional surveys were received and found to be consistent with the
statistically validated random survey.
The objectives of the survey were to determine Town strengths that support older adults, to
determine needs or gaps in services and to determine potential future needs. Goals of this
study were:
● Immediate: planning, resource allocation, advocacy, increased engagement.
● Intermediate: implement programs to meet needs, increase the number of quality
programs, and implement effective policies.
● Long Term: foster a community of older adults that are healthier, engaged, empowered,
independent, productive, and vibrant.
The Survey Report of Results consisting of 173 pages was received in April 2022. How older
residents of Los Gatos viewed their community overall and how likely they are to recommend
and remain in Los Gatos provides a high-level overview of the quality and livability of the
community:
• Over 9 in 10 of older residents living in Los Gatos rated their overall quality of life as
excellent or good. Most of the older residents surveyed scored the community
positively as a place to live and would recommend the community to others. More than
three-fourths said they planned to stay in the community throughout their retirement.
• Older residents tended to give lower scores to the community as a place to retire than
they did to the overall quality of life in the community. About 7 in 10 respondents
provided assessments of excellent or good to the community as a place to retire.
Community readiness was assessed through a series of older resident ratings in the six
different livability domains and the summarized ratings are given below. The areas of
community livability found to be strongest in Los Gatos were Safety, Physical Health,
Community Inclusivity, and Social Engagement, while the areas showing the largest need
for improvement were Housing (affordability, options, and accessibility issues),
Employment (opportunities and quality), Information on Older Adult Services (more than
50% reported lack of available information on older adult services, programs, and
activities), Independent Living (ability to continue living in one's home), and Mental Health
(depression, isolation, anxiety and memory loss). Also, there was a lower rating for “new
urbanism”, where older adults desire to live close to places where they can eat, shop,
work and receive services. One more important gap was noted related to caregiving,
where over 1/3 of respondents reported providing care for someone 55+: Los Gatos does
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not have an adult day care service, and it was found that long-term care services
information is lacking, and a future crunch is predicted for caregiving support.
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The survey also assessed the economic contribution older adults make through
employment and caregiving. It estimated that older residents in Los Gatos contribute $188
million annually to their community through paid and unpaid work.
The complete survey can be found at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1W8-
VVqqF2FJckT8tQcC8lArka4e1L04M/view . An index detailing the areas covered by the
survey is given in Appendix D.
Community Workshops
During its formation the Senior Services Committee was encouraged to engage and
‘energize’ the Town regarding the future of Senior Services as it learned about the needs of
older adults in Los Gatos. Community outreach subcommittee members determined that a
series of Community Workshops to reach out to various older adult communities in Los Gatos
would be a valuable form of engagement and learning about needs. The workshops were
organized to increase awareness in the community of the efforts of the Committee and the
official survey to boost response and at the same time to gain additional insights into specific
local interests and concerns of our older adult residents. The responses to an open discussion
of what people liked and what they felt was missing in a focus-group like setting helped add
ideas and insights to the higher-level knowledge gained from our official survey findings. It was
recognized that holding the workshops with existing groups meant that the sampling
represented a particular demographic of an active and engaged older population. However,
these participants are also more likely to be early adopters and engage in new programs as we
seek to build senior services.
Members Nancy Pearson and Catherine Somers conducted the workshops. Using a theme
of re-imagining senior services, the participants were asked to think about what things would
enrich their lives and those of their friends, family, and neighbors. The Town’s effort to
revitalize senior services and to encourage participation in the survey was described. They were
then asked to talk about the top three things that they would like to see the Town offer older
adults and the three things that the Town needed to do better. Responses were noted and are
summarized below. The workshops typically lasted 30 minutes.
Workshops were conducted between January and April with the following groups: Lions
Club, Kiwanis Club, Los Gatos/Saratoga Service Providers, Democracy Tent, History Club, Live
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Oak Nutrition, El Sombroso Oaks (walking the community), Rotary (noon), Rotary (morning), 55
Plus Adult Rec., Terraces, and the Los Gatos Interfaith Council.
Key findings from the Workshops are:
Communication: with complaints ranging from having no communication during the
pandemic to simply not knowing where to go or who to reach out to, it became apparent
that communications to the older adult community was one of the biggest gaps. In
addition, there were many requests for a ‘one-stop-shop’ hub of information. Needs
ranged from how to find transportation, how to get a meal delivered, how to find a reliable
handyman etc., to how to find out what is going on in Town and how to participate in
group activities. Interest was also noted in the mountain communities with such residents
asking that they be included in communications.
Transportation: older adults who no longer drive had many questions and concerns about
transportation. These concerns were related to timing (e.g., last minute appointments
needs) to coverage (e.g., does RYDE serve the mountain communities?) to cost (e.g., for
just a needed short ride). One woman at the Terraces couldn’t get a ride to her church in
Saratoga, as it was outside the range served for their vehicles and she didn’t know who to
reach out to for help (which goes back to communication)
Technology: whenever we asked about email/internet ability, the response varied,
generally based on age. Younger seniors were fine with being on email lists, while older
seniors preferred print and regular mail. Many said that they would like to be taught how
to use their mobile phones properly, as well as social media (especially Facebook) and
devices for reading, such as Kindles. They expressed a desire for the younger generations
to help them.
Socialization: older adults generally want a place to go, perhaps to share a meal, play a
game, listen to music, or otherwise socialize. Many also expressed a desire to volunteer.
Some notable quotes were:
“Everyone enjoys…everyone needs…a sense of belonging.”
“Volunteering is better than working…and has other effects too, such as building
friendships and keeping busy in mind and body…”
Cities Benchmarking
To better understand the status of senior services in Los Gatos, services and spending
(mostly pre-pandemic) for Los Gatos older adults were benchmarked against seven other peer
communities by a benchmarking subcommittee. The peer communities were the cities of:
● Campbell,
● Cupertino,
● Los Altos/Los Altos Hills,
● Morgan Hill,
● Palo Alto,
● Princeton (NJ),
● Saratoga.
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Benchmarking areas were selected around four categories: 1) Environment; 2) Purpose,
Connection and Belonging; 3) Healthy Living – Physical, Cognitive and Mental Health; and 4)
Coordinated Network of Providers.
A summary overview of the cities benchmarking results is given below where green, yellow,
and red indicate qualitative high, medium, and low scoring by the subcommittee. Total
community older adult funding and the municipal component of that funding are given across
the top of the chart for each city, as well as the senior 60+ total and percentage populations
(based on census numbers). The AARP Senior Livability Index is also given. Results for Los Gatos
are given with and without abatements provided during the pandemic. Services highlighted in
pink (column on the left) are judged to be particularly important areas for older adults. Detailed
benchmarking results for each of the cities studied are given in Appendix E.
Table III.1a. Summary overview of cities benchmarking comparison for the categories of
Environment and Purpose and for Connection and Belonging.
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Table III.1b. Summary overview of cities benchmarking comparison for the categories of
Healthy Living and for Coordinated Network of Providers.
Observations based on these results and some of the key gaps they reveal for Los Gatos will
be given in Section IV.G. Also, as part of the benchmarking studies and the subcommittees work
on the Roadmap goals related to facilities and governance, several other city community
centers with senior services facilities were visited.
Comparing Other City Community Centers and Governance Models
Facility and Governance subcommittee members made visits to community centers in Los
Altos, Palo Alto (Avenidas), and Morgan Hill. The visits provided an opportunity to examine
the uses of senior services space and to hold detailed discussions with local leaders on their
governance, funding, and accountability processes. The discussions afforded an excellent
opportunity to better understand facility utilization and to review the history, successes and
issues in creating and managing new facilities and supporting senior services. The visits
revealed three distinct operating models. The Los Altos facility is a newly completed
community center with dedicated space for senior programs. It is a city-operated model with
community input. The Palo Alto facility, Avenidas, is in a remodeled 1960s police station that
has undergone three major renovations and has a substantial endowment seeded by two
legacy donations of homes. It is a non-profit-operated model with city input and
coordination. The Morgan Hill facility is a community center with dedicated space for senior
programs that was built in the mid-2000’s. It is a mixed model for operation and funding
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involving a partnership between nonprofits and the city. “Visiting these facilities really
opened our eyes to what was possible and what it took to achieve new or remodeled
facilities.” M. Hudes.
Explore Selected New Initiatives and Community Engagement
As part of the Work Plan finalized in January 2022, the Committee planned to conduct
several exploratory activities in the community to gain further insight into how to increase
engagement. One long-standing need was for more convenient and better information on local
senior services, one of the goals in Los Gatos’ Age-Friendly Cities initiative. The Committee
worked with the CHSSC to help support its 2022 goal to create an online information hub for
senior services. The CHSSC and LGS Rec 55 Plus worked together and now have a first version of
the online HUB. These results have demonstrated the clear benefit of continuing to refine the
HUB as a valuable source of information for older adults and the entire community.
A second exploratory initiative was partnering with the service clubs in Town to work as a
coordinated group of clubs to initiate events. One example was to explore opportunities to
increase social activities of interest to older adults. Working with the Committee a monthly
“First Fridays” social meet-up was initiated with the Palms restaurant on their patio in October
2022. The response was beyond expectations with about 50 seniors in attendance each month.
The events also provided an opportunity for service club representatives to promote
community volunteering.
A third successful effort to engage the community in a social setting for older adults was the
Committee’s reception held in partnership with the LGS Recreation in April 2022. The reception
celebrated the completion of the benchmark survey, workshops and cities benchmarking and
served as an outreach to inform the community about the Committee and the results of its data
collection activities. “The ARC Bar” reception served to transform the Adult Recreation Center
and make it a special evening of social engagement. The attendance was far larger than
anticipated with nearly 150 people attending. Independent of the Committee but with its
members supportive engagement LGS Recreation re-launched the 55 Plus program which had
been shut down due to the pandemic with a Town Council 2022 ARPA grant. With the effective
efforts of the new 55 Plus manager the program rapidly grew participation over the course of
2022 to 730 members, approximately twice pre-pandemic levels.
Another exploratory activity is The Producers program at KCAT TV, also funded by a Town
Council 2022 ARPA grant. This program for 55+ volunteers trains participants in all aspects of TV
and radio production and has had good response.
These exploratory efforts demonstrated that there is a tremendous appetite for social
engagement, as well as recreational and learning activities, in the Los Gatos older adult
community. Outreach also revealed a range of different socialization interests, with different
groups seeking different venues and types of activities (“one size does not fit all”). Multiple
future ideas came from this community engagement, including new social events, bringing
service clubs into the mix, and finding new opportunities for volunteering and promoting senior
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services. The results of the exploratory engagement efforts strongly confirmed the data
collected from the surveys, workshops and cities benchmarking efforts.
Roadmap Goals
After gathering data from the array of sources summarized above, the Committee analyzed
results and conducted a study session to discuss and reach a consensus on the critical goals the
Roadmap needs to address to revitalize senior services and achieve its vision. These goals are:
● Goal 1. Appealing and Inviting Facility (Renovate or Build)
● Goal 2. Core Senior Services
● Goal 3. Communications and Engagement
● Goal 4. Volunteer Support and Engagement
● Goal 5. Enhanced Transportation Options for Older Adults
● Goal 6. Senior Housing - Information on Approaches and Options
● Goal 7. Integrated Governance, Funding, and Accountability for Senior Services
Studies by the Committee indicate a new community facility will enable the enhancing and
energizing of all senior services. Second, core senior services are essential to senior programs.
Third, the studies show that communications of needed information and engagement of the
older adult community is essential to a successful senior services program. Fourth, a robust
volunteering element provides for a vibrant community and greatly enhances engagement.
Next, transportation and housing are of the utmost importance to older adults and the ability
to age in place for an Age-Friendly City. Finally, governance, funding, accountability are
necessary for a sustainable program.
The selected Roadmap goals were presented to Town Council and approved in June 2022.
At that time Goal 2 and 3 were two separate goals, Communications and Information Access
and Increased Engagement in Social, Educational and Healthy Living Activities. However, as the
goals were studied further and Roadmap timelines and projects developed it was determined
that there was considerable synergy and overlap between community and engagement, while
core senior services were not well represented in a single goal. Thus the first two areas were
merged and the latter area developed into a single goal. These goals will be described later in
detail in Section V along with the projects proposed to implement the goals and the 1-3-10 year
vision for their success.
Development of Roadmap 1-3-10 Year Goals, Milestones and Timeline
As a culmination of all the data gathering and analysis work the Committee completed its
work in the second half of 2022 by developing and documenting the Senior Services Roadmap.
Subcommittees were appointed for each Roadmap goal area and expert guest participants
were invited to participate; guests included representation from the Complete Streets and
Transportation and the Planning Commissions, the 55 Plus program, and Jewish Family Services.
Each subcommittee developed detailed 1, 3, and 10-year milestones for their area. Bullet points
were included for each milestone to provide clarifying background. These documents were then
used to develop specific projects for each milestone objective to provide key elements that
would need to be addressed for that milestone and the timescale for each of the elements. The
work of the goals subcommittees was then integrated together by the roadmap writing
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committee. The intent of including specific milestones and projects for each goal was to provide
a starting point for any future commission, committee, or ad hoc group to understand the
Committee’s thinking and to use as a starting point as they develop a plan for that goal area.
The detailed 1-3-10 year milestones and project documents along with the timeline are
presented in a subsequent section of the report.
Participation
The Committee acknowledges and expresses appreciation to the many people and
commissions who have contributed valuable information to this report.
Tylor Taylor, Saratoga Area Senior Coordin. Comm. Ellen Schwartz, Princeton, NJ
Lisanne Kennedy, LGS Recreation 55 Plus Manager Lee Fagot, Democracy Tent
Bob Buxton, CST Commission Vikki Pearce. History Club of Los Gatos
Jeff Thompson, CST Commission Debbie Vasquez, Morgan Hill
Ali Miano, CST Commission Cricket Rubino, Morgan Hill
Jeffrey Barnett, Planning Commission John Sink, Avenidas, Palo Alto
Ann Peterson, Live Oak Adult Day Services Bridget Matheson, Los Altos
Mary Jo Price, Los Altos
Arn Andrews, Los Gatos, Committee Liaison Laurel Prevetti, Los Gatos Town Manager
Senior Services Ecosystem in Los Gatos
Population
According to the US Census Bureau there were 6685 adults 65 or older in 2020 representing
about 20.2 % of the Los Gatos population. For comparison there were only 15.2% 65+ in the
state of California. The 65+ in Los Gatos was approximately 15% in 2000, 18% in 2010, 20% in
2020. The population of older adults is growing in Los Gatos and there have been projections
that this demographic will reach 30% by 2030. This growth in the percentage of older adults
suggests that by the end of this 10-year Roadmap plan for senior services the number of people
over 55 could represent nearly 1/3 of the population of the Town.
Key Services and Communities
The Goal 2, Core Senior Services, of this Roadmap is focused on maintaining essential
services in the Town for older adults. These services are provided by a community of providers
that extend beyond the boundaries of Los Gatos. The Town’s older adult community ranges
from those who are in the upper income level to those who struggle to meet basic needs.
Essential services are especially critical for those in the lower economic income range. Services
address needs in the areas of nutrition and food security, transportation, housing, adult day
care and caregiver support, information on available resources and social work support, and the
availability of social, recreation, education, and healthy living activities.
Service Providers Directory
A listing of nonprofit and community organizations located locally and providing services
that include older adults is given in Table 4. These groups provide essential core services to
many of our older adults in Los Gatos. In many cases these local organizations work with and
20 ATTACHMENT 1
significantly extend the important benefits provided by county, state, and federal programs
such as Meals on Wheels, Sourcewise (Santa Clara County Area Agency on Aging), county
Nutrition Program, etc. During 2022 the Town of Los Gatos provided grant support to
supplement the operations of: Live Oak Senior Nutrition Service Center, Next Door Solutions to
Domestic Violence, and West Valley Community Services. The Town also provided contracts to
SASCC (Outlook monthly newspaper and health fair), LGS Recreation (55 Plus senior program
and rent relief) and KCAT TV (The Producers senior program) from federal ARPA funds during
2022.
Organization Address Website Services
Addison-Penzak
Jewish Community
Center
14855 Oka Rd.
Los Gatos
apjcc.org
Exercise, recreation, healthy living &
wellness, arts & culture, community
engagement
CADRE (Collaborating
Agencies Disaster
Relief Effort)
2731 North First
St.
San Jose
cadresv.org Network of organizations that provide
community emergency preparedness
information
El Camino Health 815 Pollard Rd, Los
Gatos &
2500 Grant Rd,
Mountain View
www.elcaminoheal
th.org
Hospital community programs,
transportation services, mental health
and addiction services
Embodied Recovery
20 S Santa Cruz
Ave # 319, Los
Gatos
embodiedrecovery.
com
Outpatient mental health and addiction
treatment services
Good Samaritan Hospital 2425 Samaritan Dr.
Los Gatos, CA
goodsamsanjose.com Hospital community programs, addiction services, mental health
House of Hope –
Calvary Church
16330 Los Gatos
Blvd. Los Gatos.
CA
www.calvarylg.com
/local
Food bank, hot meals, legal counseling,
financial aid, grief counseling
Jewish Family Services
of Silicon Valley
14855 Oka Road
#202 Los Gatos, CA
www.jfssv.org/serv
ices.html
Food bank, financial aid, legal
counseling, grief support, holocaust,
refugee assistance, senior care
LDS Church 15985 Rose Ave. Los Gatos, CA jesus-christ-of-latter-day-saints-
churches.cmac.ws/c
hurch-of-jesus-
christ-of-latter-day-
saints-los-gatos-ward/13755/
Refugee settlement, employment services, addiction programs, Bishop
Storehouse food & grants, emergency
preparedness
21 ATTACHMENT 1
LGS Recreation 208 E. Main St.
Los Gatos, CA
www.lgsrecreation.
org
Community social, educational, and
recreational activities through 55 Plus
senior program
Live Oak Adult Day
Care [currently closed]
111 Church St.
Los Gatos, CA
liveoakadultdaycar
e.org
Senior adults day programs, social,
games, exercises
Live Oak Senior
Nutrition Service
Center
111 Church St.
Los Gatos, CA
lgumc.org/live-oak-
senior-nutrition-
center/
60+ age, Lunches, Excess food
availability, and
social/emotional/healthy living
supplemental support
Los Gatos Chamber of
Commerce
10 Station Way
Los Gatos, CA
www.losgatoscham
ber.com
Programs/events to strengthen,
promote businesses, enhance quality of
life
Los Gatos Community
Health and Senior Services Commission
110 East Main St.
Los Gatos CA
www.losgatosca.go
v/278/Community-Health-Senior-
Services-
Commission
Supporting and coordinating
community health and senior services needs
Next Door Solutions to
Domestic Violence
234 E. Gish Rd.
#200, San Jose
www.nextdoorsolu
tions.org
Supports victims of domestic violence
and their families
S.A.I.L. Health
Concierge
sailhealthconcierge.
com
Aging in place services, concierge
medicine, planning
Saratoga Area Senior
Coord. Council (SASCC)
19655 Allendale
Ave. Saratoga, CA
www.sascc.org Senior center, RYDE transportation
program, adult day program, Outlook
community newspaper for seniors
St. Luke’s Outreach
Program
20 University Ave.
Los Gatos, CA
stlukeslg.org/pantr
y/
Soup kitchen, spiritual, social,
homeless showers, ministry
St. Mary’s Immaculate
Conception Church
219 Bean Ave.
Los Gatos, CA
stmaryslg.org/los-
gatos-homeless-st-
luke
Spiritual, financial aid, home/hospital
visitation
West Valley
Community Services
10104 Vista Dr.
Cupertino, CA
www.wvcommunity
services.org
Food bank, case management, housing
support, financial aid, social
engagement
Table 2. Los Gatos Senior Service Providers Directory. (Courtesy of the West Valley Service Providers
network, T. Picraux, coordinator, December 2022)
Town Grants to Non-Profit Service Providers
The Town has maintained a grant process for many years in support of local arts
enrichment and core community services. The core services grants provide supplemental
support to help maintain essential services in the community to residents in need by local non-
22 ATTACHMENT 1
profit organizations. This program accepts grant opportunities for review and recommendation
by the Arts Commission and Community Health and Senior Services Commission with final
selection and approval by Town Council. During the FY 2022-23-year support was provided for
non-profits with services which include in part older adults:
● Live Oak Senior Nutrition: $22,000/yr
● West Valley Community Services: $20,000/yr
● Next Door Solutions To Domestic Violence: $10,000/yr
● NAMI Santa Clara County (mental health services): $7,500/yr
● Bay Area Housing Corp (home modifications for disabilities): $7,500/yr
During the FY 2021-22 support was also provided to the Live Oak Adult Day Services at
$13,000 but was not provided during FY 2022-23 due to continuing post-pandemic closure of
the center. Also in FY 2021-22 one-time grants were provided to Parents Helping Parents
($10,000), Methodist Church showers ($10,000), and also to West Valley Community Services
for $10,000..
Special one-time ARPA Supplement grants for senior services post-pandemic recovery were
provided by the Town Council during FY 2021-22 to:
● LGS Recreation 55 Plus: $328,500
● KCAT TV: $100,000
● SASCC: $71,500.
Provider to Service Matrix
The table below provides a matrix of main services to service providers for a partial listing of
community service providers in Los Gatos. Note that Live Oak Day Services is listed but has not
yet reopened. This matrix can serve to initiate a comprehensive directory of services and
providers that our older adult community can access.
Town of Los
Gatos
LGS Recrea
-tion
SASCC County of
Santa
Clara
Live Oak
Nutri-
tion
Live Oak
Day
Care
Meals on
Wheels
Cham-ber of
Com-
merce
KCAT West Valley
Comm-
unity
Services
Case Man-
agement
�
Communi-
cation � � � � � �
Recreation � � �
Education �
�
Nutrition � � �
�
Housing �
23 ATTACHMENT 1
Transporta-
tion
�
Adult Day
Services
�
Service Assessment
Cities strive to provide a set of core services to meet essential needs of older adults. For
some residents these greatly enhance their quality of life while for others services may provide
an essential safety net. While many services are provided or supplemented by regional, state,
or federal sources, the extent and quality of these services often depend on local initiative. This
qualitative assessment of our Town services has been based on our benchmarking of other
cities in comparison to Los Gatos.
A particularly high area of services are our meals programs. These programs include the
non-profit Live Oak Nutrition weekday lunches which also often include opportunities for
socialization and exercise activities. The county-wide Meals on Wheels program is also available
to all qualifying older adults and disabled residents. Other areas with strong Town engagement
are emergency preparedness for meeting disaster events and personal safety for all residents.
In addition, the Town Council has taken an active role in addressing senior services needs over
the past year, however Town support of senior services or coordination staffing is lower than in
peer cities.
In 2009, the Town restructured support for senior services through a Lease Agreement in
which LGS Recreation was given rent relief in return for providing some specific services for
older adults (Appendix G). LGS Recreation serves a broad community and range of age groups
within Los Gatos and Saratoga. While LGS Recreation is currently providing a set of services for
the Town’s older adults, the actual services provided have evolved since the original
agreement, and at times services have deteriorated when the financials of LGS Recreation have
been insufficient to support those services. The three school boards that established LGS
Recreation through a Joint Powers Authority, do not have an older adult constituency, rather a
youth-oriented student constituency. Because of this structure, the relationship does not
represent a strong alignment between the interests of the Town’s older adult community and
the governance of LGS Recreation. Transportation is an area that is at the mid-level of senior
service provision, with the RYDE program providing scheduled weekday senior transportation at
a sliding scale. Committee investigations indicate there is a need for weekend and evening ride
programs, possibly served by an on-demand shuttle service. Areas that rank at a lower level
include educational/technology/life skills training and employment opportunities. Caregiver
support and adult day services also rank lower with adult day services not yet opened after the
pandemic. Also, while mental health services for residents are provided primarily by local
hospitals and non-profits, regional studies are showing that the community, including older
adults, would greatly benefit from a nearby regional health clinic (for example in the West
Valley) that provides additional services and a nearby source of support.
24 ATTACHMENT 1
One area that ranked low at the beginning of our study but has been rapidly improving due
to the use of $500,000 investment in ARPA funds by the Town Council is social and recreational
opportunities. As a result of this support the adult recreational program of LGS Recreation has
increased its participation by over 100% compared to pre-pandemic levels. Combined with
exploratory social events initiated by this Committee, such as First Fridays, it is estimated that
engagement in social and recreational programs has reached over 10 % of the older adult
population, demonstrating the possibilities of growth for senior engagement. Also, a new ARPA-
supported program was initiated to teach TV and radio production by older adults. Another
area which has shown improvement is that of information and communication targeted to
older adults. The Outlook monthly newspaper provided by SASCC provides specific Los Gatos
information. A Los Gatos weekly, the Los Gatan, provides community information. Also, efforts
by the CHSSC in partnership with LGS Recreation 55 Plus and this Committee has resulted in the
creation of an information HUB that is providing increased awareness of senior services,
demonstrating the successes that can be achieved by revitalizing senior services in Los Gatos.
Gaps and Unmet Needs
Observations of key points learned for the peer cities from the Committee’s city
benchmarking work as given in Section III.B.5. are summarized below.
Los Altos/Los Altos Hills
• New $35m facility funded by the City
• No membership fee
• Paid transportation
• Medium participation rate
Palo Alto
• Modern senior facility
• Wide range of choices of activities
• Organized and transparent about finances
• High participation rate
Princeton, NJ
• Provided by non-profit: 70% from contributions, 19% from City revenues and 11% fees
• City makes annual contribution
• High participation rate, including from surrounding communities
Cupertino
• Services differ because of higher homogeneity of ethnic population
• City budget is considerably higher within the peer group
• Medium participation rate
Morgan Hill
• Good integration of senior services and senior center into the city's community center
• Well organized community programs that supplement senior services
• City and charitable foundation funded through senior center with volunteers
• High participation rate
Saratoga
• Coordinated governance & management of programs with central accountability by
local entity (SASCC)
25 ATTACHMENT 1
• Services are funded primarily from outside grants and contributions
• Independent non-profit operates with small (5%) support from the City. Funding tripled
since 2016
• City is actively informed & Council participates on Board of Directors of non-profit
Strong board
• High participation rate
Campbell
• City converted high school into Community Center with pool & outdoor fitness area -
used by many LG residents
• Goals are set and measured on city website
• City funded and run through rec department with 3.5 employees supporting senior
programs
• High participation rate
These observations can be contrasted to those for Los Gatos below.
Los Gatos
• Among the highest quality, walkability, parks, personal safety, emergency
preparedness, and meals program for peer group
• Active engagement of Council in effort to improve senior services
• Unique arrangement: Services primarily provided by community education
organization funded by in-kind facility use fee-relief from Town
• Secondarily provided by volunteers and nonprofits with some funding by Town grants
• Informal coordination of services through community grants with minimal direct
governance
• Among the lowest senior staffing, participation rate, information availability,
accountability, and volunteer coordination among peer group
• Least attractive and functional senior activity center of peer group
• Lowest per senior budget of peer group on both a total community basis and municipal
spend basis
• Relatively high cost of individual events/programs combined with moderate cost annual
fee
• Low participation rate
Some key gaps apparent from these observations have been the low participation rate of
older adults in Los Gatos, low budget expenditures, inadequacy of the senior center, and lack of
coordination or accountability of senior service programs. The Los Gatos 55+ program has
achieved rapid improvement in enrollment during 2022 (from approximately 390 pre-pandemic
levels to 730 participants at the conclusion of 2022). There is significant room for further
improvement in senior program participation in Los Gatos, for example by increases in the
current 55 Plus membership which now represents approximately 10% of older adults.
Community response to the short term efforts of the Committee and CHSSC (the information
Hub, First Fridays, engagement of groups) suggest that there is a large untapped potential in
Los Gatos to enhance and expand opportunities for and participation by older adults.
26 ATTACHMENT 1
Los Gatos One-Three-Ten Year Roadmap Goals, Projects, and Milestones
The Committee organized its seven goals into 1 year, 3 years, and 10 years activities and
then used these activities to develop specific projects for each goal area with associated
timelines and milestones. The projects are intended to serve as descriptive information and
insight into learning by the Committee. These projects provide a starting point for consideration
by commissions, committees and community non-profits in implementing the goals of the
Roadmap. An overview of the seven goals, an overview for the 1-3-10 year activities, and the
projects with milestones to accomplish these goals are presented below. The 1-3-10 year vision
activities detail is presented in Appendix F.
Goal 1. Appealing and Inviting Facility (Renovate or Build)
Subcommittee - Heath (chair), Blum, Hudes, Lenoci, Picraux
This goal is to renovate or build a community facility including older adult space/services.
develop plans, fund, and implement a revitalized community center with dedicated space for
older adult programs. Currently, the ground floor of the building at 208 E. Main Street is being
used for the older adult recreational/social programs by LGS Recreation. The facility and the
space available are insufficient, as judged by the Committee and based on the feedback
received in peer city reviews. The decision to renovate or build a new community facility that
includes older adult space/services will be decided as part of this goal.
Age-friendly communities have spaces that are welcoming where residents can come
together to engage in social, educational, and enriching activities. Community centers which
either include or are dedicated to the needs of older adults provide an important focal point for
residents and are found in all our benchmarked cities. Approaches to building or refurbishing
facilities are many, but in every case the approaches have required a concerted, long-term
effort with deliberate planning. This area would address:
● More welcoming building with adequate multipurpose space than currently exists. A
portion of the facility dedicated to meet the needs of older adults
● A funding strategy, fund-raising mechanisms and a 501(c)(3) Friends of Seniors entity to
provide long-term support
● Coordinated community strategy and support for development of senior facilities
● Intergenerational space for meetings, clubs, community events, recreational, cultural,
educational, learning, health education and information services
● Deliberate evaluation of effectiveness and value of investment in existing facilities
● Evaluation of multiple use options and how Town assets might be utilized in the creation
of a community facility
Goal 1. The 1-3-10 Year Activities Overview
One Year - Form facilities advisory committee, explore fundraising options, establish a 501(c)3
non-profit for facilities and services, and optimize interim repairs to existing facility
Three Year - Develop 3 models for community center, perform feasibility study, make, fix or
build decision (selecting from 3 models), form building committee, and begin substantial
fundraising
27 ATTACHMENT 1
Ten Year - Ensure ample quality space for older adult services and programs, provide a staffed
welcome desk, and perform ribbon cutting of welcoming facility
Goal 1. Projects Overview
Goal 1. Projects
PROJECT F1 Needs Analysis
- Form an ad hoc group to conduct needs analysis. Q2/23
- Community input on needs and concepts. Q1/24
- Community charrettes/workshops (needs & conceptual plan). Q1/24
- Evaluate off-site venues and potential partners. Q4/24
PROJECT F2 Fundraising
- Establish a 501(c)3 non-profit to support fundraising for senior services. Q2/23
- Establish a fundraising committee. Q4/23
- Form board for the senior non-profit. Q1/24
- Launch capital campaign. Q4/24
- Partner with county supervisors and state legislature on funding plans. Q4/24
- Capital campaign consultant and develop annual targets. Q4/24
- Explore government grants - local, state & federal. Q4/24
- Complete capital campaign. Q1/28
PROJECT F3 Optimize Existing Space
- Evaluate existing space & renovation options. Q1/24
- Track existing facility utilization. Continuing
- Ongoing projects- ADA accessible bathroom upgrade. Q4/24
PROJECT F4 Community Facility Direction
- Develop a design example/model. Q2/24
- Conduct feasibility study. Q2/24
28 ATTACHMENT 1
- Define space alternatives. Q3/24
- Establish key features of the facility. Q3/24
- Ability to rent
- Host large community and county-wide events
- Enhanced recreational and fitness activities
- Educational and social activities
- Accessible
- Identify the preferred alternative (renovate or build). Q2/25
PROJECT F5 Community Facility Design (Renovate or Build)
- Develop an implementation plan. Q3/25
- Form building committee. Q2/24
- Architectural drawings and a model to support fundraising. Q3/25
- Architect consultation. Q2/25
- Builder consultation. Q2/25
- Conceptual design. Q3/26
PROJECT F6: Community Facility Construction (Renovate or Build)
- Property divestiture and acquisition, if required. Q1/27
- Initiate facility construction. Q1/28
- Complete facility construction. Q2/30
PROJECT F7: Community Facility Operations
- Establish business support options - how to run and operate a community center. Q1/29
- Operating model. Q1/29
- Sustainable financial plan. Q1/29
- Ensure ample quality space for older adult services & programs.
- Provide a staffed welcome desk to answer questions and accept volunteers. Q1/31
- Ribbon-cutting and opening. Q1/31
Goal 1. First Steps
• Form 501(c)3 non-profit
• Recruit fundraising committee
• Plan for community charrettes
Goal 2. Core Senior Services
Subcommittee - Pearson (chair), Khanal, Konrad, Lenoci, Mlinarich, Picraux
A thriving town needs to provide essential core services for older adults. These services
cover such areas as support for social, educational, and healthy living activities. Also, it is
essential to meet basic nutrition and health needs for the disadvantaged. Services for older
adults are provided by a diversity of municipal, county, regional, and state organizations. The
Town gains much leverage for this goal by encouraging and supporting the work of community
nonprofits and organizations such as hospitals and health clinics that are essential to the
Town’s safety net. Provisions for physical and mental health, as well as support for caregivers
and their loved ones, are also essential. The availability and use of community parks, gardens
and open spaces provides significant core support, not only to older adults, but to all. Efforts to
preserve and provide adequate core services include:
29 ATTACHMENT 1
● Social, educational, and healthy living opportunities
● Funding and expanding essential services for all stages of aging including nutrition and
adult day care programs
● Training and classes to enhance marketable and/or new skills
● Personal safety, scam avoidance, legal assistance awareness, etc.
● Promote food security and options
● Promotion of County mental/behavioral health offerings and the local availability of
these services
Goal 2. The 1-3-10 Year Activities Overview
One Year - Continue to support essential services in Town.
Three Year - Re-establish adult day care services.
Ten Year - Promotion of mental health services in the West Valley.
Goal 2. Projects Overview
Goal 2. Projects
PROJECT S1 Support Continuation of Social, Educational, Healthy Living and Meal Services for
Older Adults
- Ensure continuation of senior adult recreation, social, educational and healthy living provided by
the 55 Plus program. Q1/23
- Ensure continuation of the Live Oak Nutrition Program and funding to provide food security for
older adults. Q1/23
- Promote and enhance food security and healthy options for older adults, including
supplemental food collection and distribution, local food bank services, etc. Q3/23
PROJECT S2 Support Re-establishment of Adult Day Care Services
30 ATTACHMENT 1
- Promote establishment, support, and use of adult day care services in Los Gatos Q3/23
- Establish facilitated caregiver support programs for families and family caregivers. Q2/24
- Promote caregiver respite programs. Q4/26
- Facilitate an expanded adult day care program with more space and a controlled-access outdoor
area to provide services for future growth. Q4/27
PROJECT S3 Support Continuation of Other Core Services in Los Gatos by Community
Organizations
- Advocate for support of community nonprofits that provide services and assistance to older
adults in Los Gatos (WVCS, SASCC, Next Door Domestic Violence, Jewish Family Services, House of
Hope, local hospitals, etc.). Q1/23
- Promote and advocate on behalf of services for older unhoused people and for those in danger
of becoming unhoused. Q3/23
- Advocate for and seek to expand the availability of case management workers serving older
adults in Los Gatos. Q4/24
- Establish an ongoing mentor program to enlist local organizations and seniors with special skills
to provide social, educational & healthy living enrichment courses. Q2/24
- Promote County fall prevention programs. Q3/23
- Promote programs that provide information on personal safety devices, scam/fraud avoidance,
and legal assistance. Q3/24
PROJECT S4 Support CHSS Commission Objectives to Establish a West Valley Health Clinic with
Mental Health Services
- Support the Community Health and Senior Services Commission efforts, as well as those by
community groups and the County to establish a health clinic in the West Valley. Q2/23
- Monitor and promote County initiatives and government grant opportunities to provide mental
health services in the West Valley. continuing
- Promote establishment of a mental health task force in the West Valley. Q4/23
- Create a mental health information directory. Q4/24
PROJECT S5 Expand Use of Parks, Community Gardens, and Other Facilities
- Support the efforts of the Parks Commission as they relate to senior use of parks, community
gardens and related facilities.
- Establish exercise programs in parks and on Town plaza. Q4/23
- Initiate a program to enhance cluster seating in parks for meet up areas. Q2/24
- Support and promote establishment and multigenerational use of community gardens
(volunteer planning, landscape design, site plot layout). Q4/24
- Expand recreational use of existing parks and facilities (e.g., pickleball by striping to selected
Town tennis courts, bocce ball facility renovation at Oak Meadow Park, establish lawn bowling
site, etc.). Q1/26
PROJECT S6 Health and Welfare Assessment
- Provide a continuing assessment of community essential services for older adults in Los Gatos.
Q1/24
- Review the welfare safety net status for older adults and the utilization and coordination of
older adult services with County and community non-profit programs. Q1/26
Goal 2. First Steps
31 ATTACHMENT 1
• Negotiate an agreement for continuation of 55 Plus social, educational, and healthy
living program.
• Re-establish adult day care services.
• Continue support of community essential core services by non-profits.
Goal 3. Communications and Engagement
Subcommittee - Konrad & Pearson (co-chairs), Miller, Mlinarich, Picraux, Somers, Yick, Guest:
Kennedy (LGS Rec 55 Plus)
Older adults and caregivers need ways to obtain information about available services,
resources, and events in multiple formats. It is also essential that they have opportunities to
engage in social, lifelong learning, and healthy living activities. Productive activities outside of
work promote quality of life and contribute to active aging. Finding and engaging in social
activity and volunteering in activities of interest becomes increasingly challenging as people
age. Opportunities to participate and socialize with others, volunteer in meaningful and
productive activities and engage in the community in which one lives contribute to a feeling of
belonging and personal satisfaction. The survey and workshops point to these areas as critical
elements to solve problems, participate in community activities and enhance quality of life.
Benchmark results for other cities indicated that Los Gatos could offer more programs.. This
goal helps residents age in place. Areas addressed would include:
● Availability of resources, activities, programs (clubs, local centers, and government -
supported services, etc.)
● Presented in the form of an Information Hub (trusted, well-curated content on services
availability, activities pointer, events calendar, etc.) - short term. Includes web, mobile,
and social network capabilities. Phone feature with live senior services and volunteer
coordinator - longer term
● Navigation to services tools (medical, maintain physical health)
● Information included from other goals of transportation, volunteering, and housing (stay
in home support options, wellness calls, assistive devices)
● Consistent availability, coordination, engagement, and age-friendly accessibility of
weekly activities and monthly social events
● Promotion ranging from print to in-person engagement by going to where older adults
live (ambassadors, volunteers, etc.)
● Finding ways to subsidize existing programs to expand reach to older adults - medium to
short term
● Enlisting local organizations and expertise to help enhance programming
● Highlight special events that are Age-Friendly
Goal 3. The 1-3-10 Year Activities Overview
One Year - Provide older adults ways to easily learn information about available services and
resources. Increase engagement in social, educational, and healthy living programs. Promote
volunteering. Establish measurable goals.
Three Year - Partner with service providers to expand participation in events promoting social,
educational and healthy lifestyle programs.
Ten Year - Move into a beautiful Community Center with dedicated space for senior programs.
32 ATTACHMENT 1
Goal 3. Projects Overview
Goal 3. Projects
PROJECT C1: Information HUB Development and Deployment
- Refine, edit, and broaden HUB 2.0 to make access to senior services much more intuitive and
broaden HUB coverage to include other senior services in the local community: Q4/23
- Recruit and sustain a volunteer Hub advisory group to collect information on what's not
available, help maintain the accuracy of the HUB information and promote HUB. Q2/23
- Develop a program with merchants to help promote Hub. Q2/23
- Identify a HUB administrator with technical skills to incorporate identified missing services
and maintain the HUB advisory group. Q2/24
- Create conceptual design including master release schedule e.g., 2.0, 3.0, 4.0. Q2/24
- Evaluate the benefits of developing a mobile app. Q4/24
- Invite the creator of Cupertino Senior Services website to review and make suggestions.
Q4/23
- Coordinate with government agencies to take advantage of resources. Q2/24
- Partner with District 5 County Supervisor to benefit other cities and offset costs. Q2/24
- Incorporate video tutorials into HUB (e.g., how to sign up for RYDE, etc.) and explore and
utilize evolving technology tools Q4/24
- Use digital inclusion initiatives to teach people how to access information on the HUB, use QR
codes, etc. Q4/23
- Utilize KCAT to advertise and to help develop videos for HUB. Q2/24
- Continue tracking HUB clicks and identify the most popular areas. Q1/23
- Continue tracking the number of calls that come into the office for older adult information
from all sources (55 Plus; Chamber; Others). Q1/23
- Require Town participation and promotion to ensure success of objectives. Q1/23
PROJECT C2 Promotion of Community Awareness and Engagement in Services
33 ATTACHMENT 1
- Publicize senior services available in Los Gatos. Q1/24
- nutrition
- adult day services
- recreation and socialization opportunities
- educational opportunities and health fairs
- Collaborate with other local organizations to promote Town and community events and
services. Q3/24
- Join the AARP Network of Age-Friendly Communities. Q3/23
- Promote on-going awareness of HUB and Town senior events by Town in social media,
website, and newsletter and in local newspapers with articles and ads. (Los Gatan, The
Outlook, etc.). Q4/23
- Increase participation in Town events. Q2/23
- Establish an outreach ambassador volunteer program (go to where older adults live to
promote awareness and participation). Q2/23
- Promote use of faith-based community services (e.g., Jewish Family Services of Silicon
Valley’s Aging with Dignity and Healthy Aging Programs. Q3/23
PROJECT C3 Events Calendar
- Initiate an events calendar website that includes Town meetings and special events. Q1/24
- Establish connectors (APIs) to various organization’s information. Q2/24
- Include monthly events summary in the monthly older adult newsletters. Q3/23
- Assist with community holiday events and promotion. Q2/24
- Develop a mobile app. for smart phones to sign up for local events. Q4/24
PROJECT C4 Provide and Engage Older Adults in Social, Healthy Living, and Life Learning Skills
Activities
- Promote monthly special social activities. Q1/23
- Organize First Friday monthly events. Q1/23
- Greatly increase engagement in ongoing LGS Rec. activities and classes (exercise, swimming,
etc.), senior club activities, JCC exercise and other programs. Q1/23
- Promote programs with emphasis on multigenerational activities. Q1/23
- Establish diet, nutrition & healthy eating classes and programs. Q3/23
- Promote technology training programs (including library programs, etc.). Q1/24
- Promote personal safety and cyber security presentations and classes. Q1/24
- Develop training classes to enhance marketable skills. Q4/24
- Partnership with West Valley Community College to deliver local life-learning courses
oriented to older adults. Q3/24
- Develop Distinguished Guest Lecture program. Q3/30
PROJECT C5 Transition to In-Person Services at New Community Center
- Publicize new dedicated senior facility space for senior programs. Q1/32
- Have an information kiosk near the entrance for verbal, posted and printed materials
including volunteer information. Q2/32
- Central point of coordination for Senior Services including tech support. Q3/32
- Large room exercise classes and weekly dance in new community center Q2/32
- Host local community theater, music and dance group programs. Q3/32
34 ATTACHMENT 1
- Promote engagement by organizing regional large group meetings (SCC Cities Association,
SCC Seniors Agenda, Caregiver Conference, Aging Wisely Conference, etc.). Q4/32
Goal 3. First Steps
● Expand & promote information HUB.
● Expand engagement of the senior community by increasing participation in social,
educational & healthy living activities.
● Engage volunteers to implement programs.
Goal 4. Volunteer Support and Engagement (be a volunteer/seek a volunteer)
Subcommittee - Pearson (chair), Picraux, Somers, Yick
Vibrant communities provide opportunities for older members to become volunteers and/or to
find needed assistance from volunteers. Promoting and supporting volunteerism allows the
community to marshal the expertise of older adults and to increase engagement of older adults
for the benefit of the entire community. Our Committee found that many older adults want to
volunteer, and many others need volunteers for help. With volunteer time in California
currently estimated at $29.95/hr. by the Independent Sector organization, the many 1000’s of
hours available locally represents an important resource for the Town to take advantage of as
much as possible. The volunteer support and engagement goal would include:
● Develop and coordinate volunteer opportunity exchange (aggregated Town page of
opportunities)
● Support connections between service providers, clubs and those interested in
volunteering (consider holding volunteer fair)
● Support equitable and inclusive processes to engage older adult volunteers
● Consider a ‘Community Unity’ bulletin board approach for two-way volunteering as
promoted in the past by former Mayor Wasserman
Goal 4. The 1-3-10 Year Activities Overview
One Year - Develop a process for older adults to become a volunteer or to find needed
assistance from volunteers.
Three Year - Establish a volunteer corps with a coordinating team, tracking, a coordinator, and
creation of an opportunity exchange.
Ten Year - Establish a volunteer station at the welcome desk in the new community center and
provide regular volunteer socialization.
Goal 4.c. Projects Overview
35 ATTACHMENT 1
Goal 4. Projects
PROJECT V1: Establish Volunteering Task Force
- Collaborate with the Community Health & Senior Services Commission and/or other
commissions to form an ad hoc task force with Town liaison identified. Consider adding guest
members. Q1/23
- Develop a list of groups needing volunteers for programs, events, and activities. Q2/23
- Establish a joint alliance of service clubs for volunteering composed of a designated person
from each organization with an alliance representative on the ad hoc task force. Q4/23
PROJECT V2: Recruit and Build a Volunteer Community with the Ad Hoc Task Force
- Establish a process to coordinate between organizations needing volunteers. Q4/23
- Provide links on The HUB to organizations needing volunteers. Q2/24
- Establish methods for volunteers to connect to opportunities via print and electronic
communications. Q2/24
- Include volunteer opportunities in local event calendars. Q3/24
- Publicize opportunities and recruit volunteers at community events (First Fridays, etc.).
Q3/24
- Issue volunteer opportunity alerts. Q4/24
- Promote volunteerism and explore new ways to marshal the expertise of older adults in Los
Gatos. continuing
- Ensure equitable and inclusive opportunities to increase engagement of older adult
volunteers. continuing
PROJECT V3 Establish a Volunteer Corps
- Obtain part time staff support for coordinated volunteer intake and coordination of the
Volunteer Core. Q1/25
- Establish a volunteer coordinating team with required service clubs representation. Q1/25
- Develop a method for volunteer tracking. Q3/25
- Provide periodic events for volunteers to socialize and exchange information on
opportunities. Q3/25
- Establish a senior mentorship service that utilizes talents and skills that can be shared in a
multigenerational setting. Q2/25
36 ATTACHMENT 1
- Develop and coordinate volunteer opportunity exchanges (volunteer tables at Town events,
bulletin boards, volunteer fair, etc.). Q4/25
- Develop an opportunities exchange site on The HUB. Q4/25
- Establish a referral process to support connections between those with needs for household
chores and service providers, clubs (including high school and middle school), other groups
interested in volunteering and local businesses. Q4/26
- Establish and support a volunteer information component to the welcome kiosk at the new
community center. Q1/32
Goal 4. First Steps
● Establish an ad hoc volunteer task force.
● Create a listing of organizations needing volunteers.
● Engage service clubs in the initiative.
Goal 5. Enhanced Transportation Options for Older Adults
Subcommittee - Heath (chair), Khanal, Picraux, Ristow, CSTC member expert partners Buxton,
Thompson, and Miano
Livable communities facilitate transportation options for older adults, including auto,
bicycling, walking and public transportation. Older adults consider the need for flexible
transportation options to be especially important as they age, including:
● Better information distribution on mobility options (e.g., VTA Senior Mobility Guide)
● RYDE awareness and enhancement
● VTA and VTA Access awareness
● Lyft/Uber supplemented programs
● In-Town shuttle provided by Town
● Last minute rides through volunteer network
● Options for mobility-challenged older adults
Goal 5. The 1-3-10 Year Activities Overview
One Year - Form senior transportation advisory committee (tracking, input, advocacy).
Promote availability of mobility options and information.
Increase use of existing Bus 27 and advocate for expanded local transit services.
Three Year - Implement a Town shuttle.
Expand mobility services - auto, bicycle, walking, & public transportation.
Add Age-Friendly accessible walking paths.
Ten Year - Create Age-Friendly accessible walking track.
Develop a door to door shuttle service.
Goal 5. Projects Overview
37 ATTACHMENT 1
Goal 5. Projects
PROJECT T1: Implement and Promote Transportation Awareness and Use
- Collaborate with Complete Streets & Transportation Commission and Community Health &
Senior Service Commission to form an ad hoc Senior Transportation Committee with Town
liaison identified. Consider adding guest members. Q1/23
- Obtain community input on needs & concepts. Q3/23
- Seek grant opportunities in the transportation area. continuing
- Monitor General Plan 2040- Section 5- Mobility- Implementation Programs A-S. Q2/24
- Establish a mechanism for continuing assessment of Los Gatos, County, State and Federal
master plans, laws and grants involving all forms of mobility impacting older adults for
possible recommendation. Q4/24
- Explore wheelchair accessible parking needs. continuing
- Track VTA bus actions. continuing
- Enhance community knowledge and use of RYDE, VTA Access, and Santa Clara County
Mobility Management Program (e.g., intro to use bus pass, low income senior passes,
eligible registered dining participant passes). Q3/23
- Promote distribution and awareness of the VTA Senior Mobility Guide. continuing
- Link transportation information and new options to The HUB. continuing
- Promote use of bicycles through education, training and repair, safety programs and classes.
Promote development and awareness of bike and pedestrian pathways, support for more
bikeways, valet use for older adult events with secure bike parking facilities. - continuing
- Achieve increased community use of existing Bus 27 and use data to advocate for expanded
local VTA transit services. Q2/26
- Develop “Transportation Los Gatos” software that links all forms of mobility (FlexDenmark
Model). Q1/32
PROJECT T2: Advocate for an Age-Friendly Walking Plan
- Coordinate with existing commissions and the General Plan to advocate for an Age-Friendly
walking plan. continuing
- Create a more walkable Town through signage, increased benches, safer and more accessible
sidewalks and crosswalks. Q4/23
38 ATTACHMENT 1
- Create an Age-Friendly accessible walking track (Campbell Community Center track as a
possible model) accessible to public at fixed hours, suitable for people with mobility
limitations. Q2/26
- Add new walking paths in Town parks. Q3/24
- Conduct a senior safety zone study. Q2/25
- Enhance signage, pavement markings, evaluate extended traffic signal timing, and participate
in a Vision Zero collaboration. Q4/26
PROJECT T3: Expand Mobility Options Including Evenings and Weekends
- Work with RYDE to extend weekday hours of service M: Q4/23
- Explore Town shuttle options and focus on the best option. Consider fixed+flexible Town
shuttle: contract or volunteer based, collaboration with large scale developers and
employers, cooperative programs with neighboring cities (e.g. Cupertino VIA shuttle),
cooperative programs with new Town community developments, cooperative programs
with local businesses or senior housing entities, and explore possible subsidies). M: Q4/24
- Launch a Town shuttle that provides or includes an evening and weekend older adult
transportation service. Q4/26
- Promote ride voucher programs with health care providers. Q3/25
- Create or expand existing programs to include a door-to-door shuttle service. M: Q1/32
Goal 5. First Steps
● Establish collaboration with Commissions and form a Senior Transportation Advisory
Committee.
● Start exploring shuttle options.
● Expand community knowledge of available mobility options.
● Take action to create a more walkable Town.
Goal 6. Senior Housing - Information on Approaches and Options
Subcommittee Heath (chair), Miller, Picraux, Planning Commission Guest: Jeffrey Barnett
Opportunities for older adults to continue to live in Los Gatos after retirement and to enjoy the
community and friends as they age, with services that help older adults manage living situations
and age in place including such things as service referrals, home maintenance helpers, and
realtors.
Goal 6. The 1-3-10 Year Activities Overview
One Year - Form Housing Advisory Committee.
Identify and produce an inventory of residential options. Encourage development of
housing options.
Three Year - Establish aging in place programs. Facilitate crisis housing and support.
Support programs that help with home upkeep and accessibility.
Ten Year - Monitor housing while promoting opportunities for older adults to continue to live in
Los Gatos after retirement and to enjoy the community and friends as they age.
Goal 6. Projects Overview
39 ATTACHMENT 1
Goal 6. Projects
PROJECT H1 Identify and Inventory Residential Options for Older Adults
- Establish a committee for older adult housing information and advocacy in coordination with
the Planning Commission and the Housing Element Advisory Board. Q1/24
- Support Los Gatos Housing Element as adopted by the Town Council as it relates to older
adults. Q3/24
- Identify and produce an inventory of residential options for older adults. Q4/24
- Encourage developers to consider the needs of older adults through all stages of aging
including smaller units, one story units, housing close to accessible transportation and/or
restaurants and stores,(new urbanism), walkable spaces and multi-residency units for
caregivers. Q1/25
- Advocate for legislation that supports quality care and services at local residential care
facilities; promote culturally competent services. Q1/26
PROJECT H2 Enable Development of Affordable Housing for Older Adults
- Engage with local and state stakeholders to promote programs for older adults living
independently. Q1/25
- Advocate for the development of housing options through all stages of aging as well as
affordable housing for older adults. Q3/25
- Pursue potential funding (state & federal) for housing income support and housing
modifications and repairs. Q4/25
PROJECT H3 Establish Aging in Place Programs (Including a Los Gatos Village)
- Develop infrastructure and programs for aging in place and establish a Los Gatos Village
(subscription-based association based on Beacon Hill/Avenidas model). Q1/27
- Develop a home maintenance (small job) helper referral service with volunteer coordinator
(service clubs). Q1/25
- Support programs that provide help with modification and accessibility of homes. Q3/25
- Support older adults living independently in the community through down-sizing or step-
down independent living options. Q1/25
40 ATTACHMENT 1
PROJECT H4 Facilitate Crisis Housing
- Facilitate crisis housing for older adults. Q1/26
- Promote disaster preparedness programs with focus on older adults including online
information and the safety of older adults in residential care facilities during emergencies or
disasters. Q4/26
PROJECT H5 Monitor and Evaluate Housing Needs and Stock
- Complete a comprehensive Older Adult Housing Report (for inclusion in the General Plan
and Housing Element’s 5-year update). Q3/27
Goal 6. First Steps
● Establish an older adult housing advisory committee for inventorying housing options
and advocacy.
● Promote development of affordable housing for older adults.
● Advocate for older adults living independently in the community.
Goal 7. Integrated Governance, Funding, and Accountability for Senior Services
Subcommittee - Hudes (chair), Blum, Heath, Miller, Phelan, Picraux, Rossmann
In this section there is first a description of the benefits and proposed elements that will be
needed to achieve an integrated model for governance and accountability for senior services.
Second, the Committee proposes four recommended Town Council actions for the first year to
achieve this model. Finally, a proposed approach is presented to sustain progress on the Roadmap
in subsequent years. The Committee is of the opinion that these actions provide an essential
component for achieving the 10-year vision of an affordable and sustainable Roadmap for senior
services.
Integrated Governance Model
Currently our Town has a distributed model of senior services with minimal central planning,
measurement, coordination, or accountability for maintaining and advancing services. Creating an
integrated governance structure with accountability for services could result in significantly
increased efficiencies, enhanced senior services leading to additional sources of support, and long-
term stability of programs. A recommended governance model for Los Gatos includes:
● Distinct roles for non-profits, Town administration, and others serving older adults,
● A coordinated management model (accountability, metrics, oversight, etc.)
● Funding mechanisms to help support older adult programs and services
● Sustainable financial plan, including pro forma budgets for consideration by deciding
bodies
● Methods for measurement, accountability and maintaining transparency
● Approaches to maintain Town oversight
The Committee analysis suggests that an integrated governance model will also lead to
stronger community participation and will result in greater support for services, more
successful funding initiatives, and greater transparency of senior services operations. The
benchmarking survey of other cities and our assessment of services in Los Gatos show that Los
Gatos currently has a fragmented model of service delivery coupled with little accountability.
To enhance accountability, the Roadmap proposes and discusses below four key interrelated
elements that will need to be developed for a future model of senior services governance :
41 ATTACHMENT 1
● One-Three-Ten-year fiscal planning
● Measurement and accountability tracking
● Roles and responsibilities decisions
● Roadmap maintenance and update process
One-Three-Ten Year Fiscal Planning
The Committee recommends that an integrated budget process for senior services be
adopted. This financial plan would include:
● All of the entities providing services for older adults in Los Gatos;
● Establishing a comprehensive process for fiscal analysis and budget planning, including
Town, county, state, and federal and third-party organizations;
● Annual budgets that would include:
o Services provided and residents served
o Capital and operating budgets (decoupled)
o Planned and actual budgets
o Sources, including grants and fundraising
● Timing would be coordinated with Town, area, and third-party budget processes.
Information assembled over the first year of the Roadmap is proposed to provide the basis
for development of the fiscal plan under guidance of the Town Council. The plan is
recommended to be developed during the first quarter of 2024 as part of a review of Roadmap
progress, as discussed in the Roadmap Maintenance and Update Process section below.
Next steps:
1. Set schedule for subcommittees to provide resource estimates prior to Committee
sunsetting;
2. Provide template and assistance in developing pro-forma financial estimates for key
initiatives;
3. Involve Town staff in financial estimates and budgeting;
4. Create a budget model.
Measurement and Accountability Tracking
In order to make progress in delivering services in a sustainable manner to older adults
there is a need to develop measures of the services provided and their impact. To best support
integrated governance these measures would include the full range of senior service providers,
including Town, regional, and third-parties. Measures of service would include the number of
people served in a transparent and easily understood format. Much of the information would
be obtained through a collaboration with the various service providers serving older adults.
Recommended activities include:
● Determine what measures of effort are needed and how the results would ensure
success of the Roadmap goals;
● Identify who would receive the reports and at what frequency;
● Establish a process to provide an annual report describing the State of Senior Services in
Los Gatos based on an assessment of the measurements that are tracked and the
services that are being provided to older adults.
Next CHSSC steps:
42 ATTACHMENT 1
1. Establish a measurement and tracking process based on the above recommendations;
2. Review examples of annual senior services reports by other cities and the state to
provide a starting point for an Annual Los Gatos Report;
3. Compile metrics from other communities and service providers on what data and rate
of collection is most useful for an efficient accountability tracking process.
Roles and Responsibilities
The Committee recommends that for the changes proposed by this Roadmap in support of
our older adult community to occur it will be important to define the roles and responsibilities,
as existing organizations are modified, and new organizations are put in place. From a long
term perspective it would be valuable for the Town to consider the following questions
regarding roles and responsibilities:
● Given the goals and resources required, what oversight is appropriate to ensure
success?
● Are new or re-comprised teams, committees, or roles required? If so, how should new
and existing teams and roles be modified and participation encouraged?
● Are new or updated service agreements or contracts needed?
The Year 1 Actions proposed by the Committee below provide suggested approaches to these
questions for the near term.
To transition from the decentralized, or what might be characterized as a fragmented
delivery of services to our older adults, to a more reliable and sustainable means of providing
these services in a coordinated community partnership, our Integrated Governance
subcommittee realized that some changes would be helpful. This was further reinforced by site
visits and fact-finding conversations with several other communities, especially with Palo Alto,
Los Altos, and Morgan Hill. Also further considerations would be needed upon making a
decision concerning facility direction in about 3 years’ time.
For now, it appears that the Morgan Hill approach and governance model offers the most
similar and promising starting point to address needs over the next several years. With the
successful development of this approach over a 3- to 10-year period, a long-term model closer
to that of Palo Alto’s Avenidas, where even greater community contributions to support senior
services as well as to initiate a “Village” concept for aging in place may become possible.
Why the Morgan Hill model in the near-term?
While there are demographic differences from Los Gatos, the provision of services to older
adults in Morgan Hill offers some situational similarities. In Morgan Hill, recreation-oriented
senior services were previously provided by the YMCA, which was serving a broad age-range
of community members through fee for service as well as contracted services for seniors.
The organization ran into financial constraints that challenged the provision of services for
seniors. The community also embarked on the creation of a community recreation center
that included space where older adults would participate. This required substantial fund-
raising as well as contribution of city-owned properties in order to build the new center,
which was completed in the mid-2000’s and is operated by the city. Later the community
43 ATTACHMENT 1
established an independent 501(c)3 Friends of Morgan Hill Seniors Foundation to provide
additional support for senior services, with a city representative participating on the Board of
Directors. In addition, the city established an independently operated Senior Advisory
Committee to sustain senior programs. This committee includes a city representative and
representation from community leaders, service providers, the community center staff, and
the Foundation and has subcommittees for transportation, life-long learning, endowment,
and outreach. The city recreation center with its senior space provided the catalyst for these
governance decisions.
As the transition to the new Morgan Hill community center and charitable foundation funded
facilities and programs proceeded, some of the key personnel of the YMCA and predecessor
organizations transitioned to the new organizations as well as to the city. Some of the best
people are still serving Morgan Hill’s older adult community, yet they transitioned to a new
organization. Today, a vibrant senior services program is being provided in an excellent
community center, funded significantly by charitable giving and grants, along with moderate
city support. Los Gatos is facing similar constraints regarding Town finances and similar
financial constraints faced by LGS Recreation in providing a recreation-oriented services
program for older adults. Los Gatos can learn from the Morgan Hill story in developing a
journey for enhancing senior services for the older adult community.
Proposed Year 1 Actions to Transition to Integrated Governance for Senior Services
To support the transition of this Senior Services Roadmap for revitalizing senior services
from planning to action the Committee recommends the Town Council begin with the following
roles and responsibilities for the first year of the Roadmap:
1. Engage Town Commissions and Boards
By expanding its role the Community Health and Senior Services Commission has suggested it
would undertake the following three activities considered critical for maintaining Roadmap
progress. The first area of communication and engagement represents the essential support for
maintaining the momentum of the other Roadmap goals while the second and third activities
address initial needs in the governance and accountability of senior services. Those activities
include the following:
i. Communication and Engagement: This activity is the portion of the Roadmap addressing
Goal #3. It is suggested that the CHSSC create an ad hoc subcommittee from its
membership to fulfill the tasks involved and to also consider adding a few community
expert guests to help support the subcommittee and extend its reach.
ii. Roadmap Tracking: In this activity the CHSSC would be responsible for tracking and
assessing whether the goals of the Roadmap are being accomplished according to the
timelines set forth in the Roadmap. This may be done via the necessary communication
and annual or more frequent written assessments.
iii. Annual Senior Services Assessment: In this activity the CHSSC would be responsible for
assessing and reporting on the nature and quality of senior services in Los Gatos. This
may be done via an annual State of Los Gatos Senior Services written report.
44 ATTACHMENT 1
The CHSSC could consider creating subcommittees to assist in implementing activities ii) and iii)
if needed. Similar to activity i), the CHSSC would be responsible for appointing the members of
the subcommittees and could include expert guests as appropriate. Consideration could be
given to requesting that the Town Council appoint a liaison from the Council to the CHSSC, to
assist in the foregoing work and/or help with recruitment of people to serve on the CHSSC and
its subcommittees.
Duties and responsibilities on issues relating to other Roadmap goals such as housing and
transportation would remain with the Town boards and commissions currently responsible in
those areas. However, in its role of Roadmap tracking the CHSSC would periodically meet with
the boards and commissions responsible for these areas, to assess their progress and align
goals with them related to these areas. Some examples found in the project proposals of this
Roadmap include: 1) Parks Commission: the development of a Community Garden 2) Complete
Streets and Transportation Commission: transportation options for older adults including
walking paths and exploration of a shuttle 3) Planning Commission and/or Housing Element
Advisory Board: creation and maintenance of an inventory and directory of housing options for
seniors. These enhancements might include subcommittees or cross-commission ad hoc teams
as well as specific older-adult-related tasks in the annual work plans of the Town Commissions
and Boards, and could include issuing reports to the Town Council about progress on these
items. Members of the Senior Services Committee could help organize these activities during
the period before the sunset of the Senior Services Committee.
Next steps:
1. CHSSC assigns members to coordinate each of the above three activities
2. Town Age-Friendly Coordinator and/or CHSSC plans projects to be pursued with other
Commissions or Boards
2. Appoint Town Age-Friendly Coordinator (0.2 FTE)
The Committee recommends the Town Council appoint a part time (0.2 FTE) Coordinator
for senior services in Los Gatos. The Coordinator is envisioned to be a staff member within the
town administration. Their allocated time would be dedicated to being a point of contact for
senior services in Los Gatos. This position would provide an important step to realizing the
Roadmap vision of a coordinated partnership for senior services between the Town, Town
commissions and boards, the proposed Friends of Los Gatos Seniors Foundation, community
service providers, and other nonprofits and regional providers. The Coordinator would also be a
member of the Foundation advisory committee. Responsibilities for the Age-Friendly
Coordinator might include:
● Act as the point of contact for the Commissions, Service Provider organizations,
Foundation, and regional nonprofits providing services for Los Gatos older adults
● Be the point of contact for key provider of recreational services to older adults
(currently LGS Recreation)
● Receive information from the three CHSSC activities coordinators involving
Communication & Engagement, Roadmap Tracking, and Annual Assessment
● Serve as the point of contact for questions about volunteer opportunities as Roadmap
projects advance in support of this goal
45 ATTACHMENT 1
● Coordinate receipt of budget proposals to both the Town of Los Gatos as well as the
Friends of Los Gatos Seniors Charitable Foundation
● Facilitate review and presentation to Town Council of the Annual Assessment of Senior
Services provided by the CHSSC for receipt by Council
● Provide information and support for the Town Council review of the Roadmap progress
and governance during the first quarter of 2024 and subsequently as discussed in the
Roadmap maintenance section below.
As the Roadmap successes accrue in future years and senior services delivery advances, there
may be considerable leverage gained by increasing the fractional 0.2 FTE allocation to the
Town’s Age-Friendly Coordinator. This graded approach could facilitate the transition of Los
Gatos senior services governance from a fragmented model to an integrated partnership
model.
Next steps:
1. Town appoints an Age-Friendly Coordinator
2. Ensure the Coordinator is brief on the senior services landscape.
3. Recognize and Encourage Community-Based Activities to Support Senior Services
It is recommended that the Town Council recognize and encourage community efforts in
support of the Senior Services Roadmap. This support would include recognizing a community-
planned 501(c)3 nonprofit Foundation that will be formed and having the Town Age-Friendly
Coordinator participate in the nonprofit’s Advisory Committee.
The community-based Friends of Los Gatos Seniors Foundation will be created for raising
funds in support of senior programs and facilities to supplement Town funding, and establishing
a sustaining endowment from individuals and corporate entities. The Foundation will explore
options and funding mechanisms for a new or refurbished community facility with dedicated
space for senior programs. It will also seek funds to supplement and enhance support for senior
programs and activities. As an independent nonprofit entity it will have a Board of Directors and
it is recommended that they appoint an Advisory Committee. The Advisory Committee may
assist the Board in such areas as investigating community facility options, creating a capital
facility fundraising campaign, seeking methods to raise funds for senior service activities,
seeking grants to support these efforts, and, over time, establishing a sustaining endowment. It
is recommended that the Foundation coordinate its activities with the Town.
Next steps by the nonprofit:
1. Establish a Board of Directors for the Friends of Los Gatos Seniors Foundation
2. Apply for 501(c)3 status
4. Re-Establish Baseline Services
As part of an integrated governance model the Committee believes that sustainable support
of core senior services is necessary to re-establish the pre-pandemic baseline in order to
achieve the vision of the Roadmap. These services are considered to be essential to be
maintained as a base of support for an important and often older segment of our senior
population. There are two provider areas for these services:
● Town: social, educational, healthy living activities provided by LGS Recreation,
46 ATTACHMENT 1
● Community: grants to nonprofit community service providers to help supplement their
services in Los Gatos (Live Oak Nutrition, West Valley Community Services, re-establish
Live Oak Adult Day Care, etc.).
Role of Los Gatos-Saratoga Recreation
LGS Recreation has been providing services to the seniors of Los Gatos based under an
agreement initiated in 2009. The 20-year lease agreement defines the scope of services that
are to be provided in return for partial rent relief. After obtaining a better understanding of the
services and associated funding of LGS Recreation, it appears this full suite of services currently
(in 2022) being provided to the senior community cannot be sustained without an increase in
funding. In fact, as of 2023, even baseline services are not funded given the direction of the LGS
Recreation Board to no longer fund senior services with surpluses from other LGS Recreation
programs. Additionally, services and governance aspects of the original 2009 Lease Agreement
(see Appendix G) with LGS Recreation have changed.
The Committee has reviewed the base-line services that LGS Recreation is providing and
recommends that the Town negotiate an acceptable one-year agreement to maintain essential
services. Also, the Committee notes from its benchmarking studies of peer cities that essential
services by nonprofits are not charged rent for the municipal facilities they occupy to provide
the services, in contrast to the pre-pandemic practice in Los Gatos. For the following three-year
period, it is recommended to re-evaluate the provision of services by LGS Recreation as
circumstances change while also considering the ability of the newly formed Friends of Los
Gatos Seniors Foundation to raise additional funds to provide supplemental support for these
senior services. If LGS Recreation is able to provide an ongoing role in the delivery of services
to the seniors of Los Gatos, it is important to re-evaluate and document changes to the services
initially enumerated in the 2009 Lease Agreement. It could also be beneficial for collaboration
to have a Town representative participate on the Board of LGS Recreation and have the Town’s
Age-Friendly Coordinator provide a point of contact for LGS Recreation services for older adults.
5. Sunset Senior Services Committee
The Committee recommends that the transition from planning to action be facilitated by
engaging the Senior Services Committee to assist the Town in publicizing and jump-starting year
1 projects and then to sunset the Committee in 2023.
Roadmap Maintenance and Update Process
The Committee recommends that for the Roadmap to be of continuing value, both during its
implementation and beyond, there needs to be a process for this document to evolve as
circumstances change, as current needs are satisfied, and as new needs emerge in the
community. Maintaining and updating the Roadmap will ensure that it is sustainable and of
continuing value. Recognizing that the ultimate authority for the Roadmap implementation
rests with the Town Council the Committee recommends the following process:
● During the first quarter of 2024 the Town Council would review the Roadmap progress
over its first year and the effectiveness of its governance, making any needed
modifications;
● The review would be informed by the tracking data and annual assessment of senior
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services provided by the CHSSC and any other information collected. The Age-Friendly
Coordinator would facilitate this effort;
● During the proposed year 1 review it is recommended that the 1-3-10 year fiscal
planning process also be completed;
● In the subsequent years two and three it is recommended that the Council repeat this
process, ensuring that the Town continues to make progress in transitioning to an
integrated governance model with community engagement, and address any issues as
circumstances change;
● The review process for this 10-year Roadmap could thereafter be repeated only as
needed, for example if plans are initiated for the renovation or construction of a new
community center with space for senior programs.
Roadmap Communication
The Committee recommends that the Roadmap be communicated to both community
leaders and the larger Los Gatos community. During the period of transition to implementation
of the Roadmap the Committee members will participate in the following activities over the
next couple of months through the direction of the Chair.
Roadmap Awareness
To increase community awareness the Committee will develop an action plan to promote
the Roadmap and the proposed 1-3-10-year goals. In partnership with the Town administration,
Town commissions, the Chamber of Commerce, service clubs and others, Committee members
will promote the Roadmap via print, social media, email, and group presentations. Individuals
and groups will be made aware of what they’ve already done to help and identify needs,
emphasizing an opportunity to become involved. The objective will be for the community to
become engaged in what the Roadmap proposes, to be aware of the benefits it can bring to
older adults and the community at large, to plan for the next steps, and to get people excited
about the future.
Tailored Messages to Request Participation
In coordination with the CHSSC, Committee members will meet with Town commissions
such as CSTC, Planning Commission, and Parks Commission to present specific elements of the
Roadmap 1-3-10-year goals and project ideas and to explore if they would be willing to lead
those efforts within their area. Also, members will hold meetings with the Chamber of
Commerce, SASCC, regional, county, state leader and other potential partners. The Committee
hopes commissions and other groups that have participated in the development of the
Roadmap plans will join forces in the proposed Roadmap effort so that the community moves
toward a common goal.
Conduct Roadmap Town Halls
Launch Town halls similar to the original community workshops that were held during
February – April 2022 with the objective of explaining the Roadmap content, reaching
additional groups and individuals.
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Conclusions
This Roadmap provides an actionable, community plan for revitalizing senior services in Los
Gatos. It was developed by first creating a vision where older adults are engaged, valued, and
provided equitable opportunities to thrive in an inclusive, Age-Friendly Town. The needs of Los
Gatos older adults were then assessed and ways in which these needs were addressed in other
communities were analyzed. Seven overall goals were developed and broken down into 1, 3,
and 10-year plans for each goal. The work required to achieve these goals was structured into
projects with quarterly milestones and these projects organized into programs. Finally, a plan to
transition the governance and accountability of services to achieve these goals in a Town-
community partnership was identified. To achieve this five “asks” of the Town Council were
identified as detailed in Section II.B. Our objective is at the end of this 10-year Roadmap to
have prepared our community for the next generation of older adults when it is estimated that
those aged 55 or older in Los Gatos will approach ⅓ of the Town’s population. The Committee
respectfully submits that with a sustained, affordable commitment by the Town and with
strong engagement and support by the community this 10-year Roadmap will provide a thriving
Town environment where the entire community benefits.
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