Senior Day at the Capitol

Each year, when our state legislature is in session (February to May) we have a day specifically dedicated to our senior population conducted at the State Capitol. We call this day Senior Day at the Capitol. A quick perusal of the Internet shows several others states conducting them as well. The best way to find out if your state has one is to call 2-1-1 (if you have that service) or call the state Area Agency on Aging.
February 25, 2013 is Senior Day in Oklahoma. It is a free event where you can learn about legislation and issues affecting seniors, share ideas and concerns with your own legislator, visit with many nonprofit agencies and inquire about services available.
Registration begins about 8:30 AM. At 10:00 AM there will be a program in the house chambers where several legislators, including the Speaker of the House, will welcome the seniors and their caregivers to the capitol. From 11:00 AM until 2:00 PM is reserved for seniors and their caregivers to visit with their personal representative or senator about personal concerns. Of course, there are times when a particular person is not in the office and it is always disappointing when someone has driven 300 miles only to be told no one will speak to them that day.
The bad news is that nothing ever gets changed or solidified on that day. The good news is that participating in a rally day at the capitol will ensure that you or your loved one will receive vital information for use in your personal situation whether it is from one of the many social agencies, private agencies, or from a legislator looking into a situation for you.
I work with legislators all the time and call a few my personal friends and they tell me that a face-to-face meeting from a constituent is more meaningful than a letter, a letter is more meaningful than a phone call and a phone call is more meaningful than an email. My advice is, as a constituent, communicate with your legislator in the most meaningful way you can because it will make a difference in your life and in the lives of others.
I also want to recommend the website http://www.care.com for those of you who are caregivers. You may already be aware of it but for those who are not, you can find out a great deal of information through them. Recently, journalist Julia Szcesuil, from Care sent me a media request and interviewed me about certain programs, talked about within my book, Taking Care of Mom and Dad: A Baby Boomer’s Resource Guide found here: Taking Care of Mom and Dad
I researched Care.com before agreeing to the interview and found it to be a very informative site. Please visit if you can! Until next time KD