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Senior Issues
By: Angela Wiseley


The mission of the Senior Issues Study Group is to educate, coordinate, and assess senior services and needs while promoting dignity and quality of life for all seniors throughout Calhoun County.

Overall, the group has established that it wants to focus on the following:

  • Increase awareness of legislative issues affecting seniors and advocate as necessary

  • Educate agency staff and volunteers about programs available to seniors in this county

  • Initiate a carrier watch program

  • Assist BCHS Senior Advisory group in developing a ‘Senior’ section in county phone books

  • Understand and assist in solving the senior needs in this county

The group has recently compiled a list of senior needs and will begin to prioritize the needs it will focus on. Specific and measurable outcomes will be established once the group has determined which needs will be focused on first. The group wants to increase membership outside of the Battle Creek area. Once priorities are established, we will include senior participants to assist in the goals and determining the measures of success.

After the October Coordinating Council Retreat, a survey was distributed to past Senior Issues members to determine whether they wanted to continue the Senior Issues Study Group, which had not met in six months. Results were very positive that members enjoyed the agency updates but felt some frustration with the lack of commitment and focus of the group.

Since January, the Senior Issues Study Group has met every month with an attendance averaging ten participants. The Workgroup established two co-chairs and they are Luann Sommers from Community Action Agency and Angela Wiseley from Calhoun County Senior Services.

Meetings are scheduled the third Mondays of the month at 1:30 p.m. and are rotated to different agencies. The group established that agendas will contain: 1) Host agency overview of their organization; 2) Legislation update; 3) Announcements; 4) Problem-solving.

If you would like additional information about this study group, please contact Angela Wiseley at (269) 781-0846, or Luann Sommers at (269) 965-7768.