Montgomery County Committee on Aging Inc

What happens when a 60 year old still feels like they have 20 to 40+ years ahead of them?  What happens when a 70 year old has a desire to do something new or wants to reinvent themselves but has no place to go or nobody to talk to? What happens to the 80 year old widow who seeks to fall in love again?  You may not know it but these are very common concerns in our society, especially with the numbers of senior citizens increasing so drastically in upcoming years. Here in Montgomery County alone, we will have around 65,000 adults who are age 65 and older by the year 2015. This is a remarkable transformation in population demographics. In fact, one staggering statistic shows that for the next 17 years there will be an estimated 10,000 Baby Boomers who turn 65 each day.

We are entering a period of explosive growth in the senior population. Due to great medical advances in recent years, most people wake up each day thinking ‘I might live to 80 or 90 years old’. This trend is anticipated to continue stretching the average life span so it could be possible that children today will live well past their 90th birthdays.  Despite this longevity revolution, amenities in communities across the country, including our own, are sculpted around who we used to be, and who we used to be was young.

It is vital that we ensure the same opportunities for senior citizens as they received in their younger years.  Studies show that “community-connected” seniors typically enjoy overall good health, prolonged survival from serious illness and greater longevity.  Additionally a strong social network helps seniors stay relevant, have a sense of belonging, keep away mental illness and create a positive frame of mind.

Montgomery County Committee on Aging dba The Friendship Center has been serving the senior population of Montgomery County, Texas for almost 40 years and they continue to be the only non-profit in the county (and some surrounding counties) specifically dedicated to serving senior adults.  They proudly provide all of their services to seniors living in Montgomery County free of charge which is why this fundraiser is so important.