TAYLOR’S TAKE....

GRATITUDE AND SERVICE MATTER
Greetings,

We come to Thanksgiving Day with gratitude and open hearts – it’s a tradition we must continue, particularly as we live through the pandemic.  We are thankful for the essential care workforce, especially the frontline health care workers, emergency personnel, food and agriculture employees, those who support our communications and digital infrastructure, and every researcher and scientist involved in the search for COVID-19 vaccines and treatments. 
“Thanks to the generous donation from the Ford Motor Company Fund, Thanksgiving holiday meals and a convoy of Ford Transit vehicles will feed 5000 seniors,” said Ronald S. Taylor, president and CEO of DAAA.
November has been a busy month.

With ballots counted and certified, we are finally able to focus on the country’s new leadership with President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris. They have pledged their service to all Americans.

We marked Veterans Day, honoring those who have defended our nation. Year-round, Veterans remind us that service counts.
It’s National Caregivers Month – and we salute caregivers who are among our country’s essential workers. Our agency has a number of resources for caregivers, including dementia care webinars that are held via Zoom. Whether you have caregiving responsibilities locally or long-distance, the Detroit Area Agency on Aging can connect you to valuable information and resources. Call our Caregiver Support Coordinator Crystal White to assist you at 313-446-4444 x. 5288.
And if you are sharing the holiday weekend with aging parents, take some time for important conversations regarding life decisions. Even the most responsible adult children can become timid about these sensitive talks, yet they address how we serve each other as family members. Here is a short article we prepared to help you.
Speaking of family, Mildred Madison, 94, a former board member of the Detroit Area Agency on Aging, recently demonstrated that service and advocacy go hand-in-hand.  She’s been an advocate for human and civil rights throughout her adult life, well known in Detroit for her leadership with the League of Women Voters. When her absentee ballot did not reach her during a stay in Chicago, she enlisted her son for a drive to Detroit to vote. She was steadfast to have her vote counted, and here’s a local news story that went viral to prove it: Mildred Madison Story
Steadfast is my go-to word of the month.  I want our service to this community to be unwavering, and I pledge to heighten our attention to the Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) that have compromised our health and shortened the lives of people of color disproportionately in our community.  The data in our research report Dying Before Their Time III provides the evidence. Here’s DAAA’s summary of our findings in a webinar presented last week in a joint session of the American Society on Aging and the National Area Agencies on Aging Association.

As a community, we need to focus on lifespan matters in order for people to live long, healthy lives. If you are part of an organization, school or congregation interested in joining us, please contact me directly at 313-446-4444.
Ronald S. Taylor MBA, MA
President & CEO