Maricopa’s first Senior Expo to be one-stop shop

Maricopa City Hall will host the city’s first Senior Information Expo and Health Fair on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The Expo is designed to offer seniors, caretakers and family members of elderly residents a chance to see a wide variety of resources and information. Participants will be able to visit information booths, attend workshops and presentations, and discover what services the city offers to assist senior members of the community.

“Events like this one are important because they put resources and options directly into the hands of those who need or want the information,” Maricopa City Councilmember Peggy Chapados said. “It’s a ‘one-stop shop’ featuring organizations, materials and information related to topics that senior residents have expressed as important.

Topics will include health and wellness, personal and spousal health care, information on Alzheimer’s disease, Medicare benefits, public safety, legal concerns, identity theft and fraud prevention, local Emergency Medical Services (EMS), what happens when you dial 9-1-1, what to do if you need to be transported by ambulance, how to keep yourself and your home safe and social and recreational activities around the city.

“The event is important because the city has an objective to be an ‘age-friendly’ city,” Age-Friendly Maricopa Coordinator Arnold Jackson said. “By that, I mean we’d like to connect the city’s residents who are 60-plus years of age to other generations and services.”

City officials and Maricopa’s Age-Friendly Committee have partnered with organizations such as the Arizona Department of Health Services, Pinal-Gila Council for Senior Citizens, Banner Health, Cenpatico, Alzheimer’s Association, Pinal County Health, Jackson-White Attorneys and Maricopa Seniors, Inc. to provide community members with as much information as possible.

The Arizona Department of Health Services will provide a keynote presentation on healthy aging and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, while many other organizations will host workshops and presentations to answer any questions community members may have.

[quote_box_right]If You Go
What: SeniorExpo
When: Jan. 16, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Where: Maricopa City Hall, 39700 W. Civic Center Plaza[/quote_box_right]“It’s unique in that it’s the first of its kind in the city, and the initial response has been overwhelmingly positive,” Chapados said. “We had over 200 people pre-register and had to close registration due to size limitations. It’s a great problem to have because it affirms the need as well as providing a local place where people can come to get great information.”

The Expo came to be after Maricopa’s Age Friendly Committee received feedback regarding a lack of services. By hosting the various services and products in one area, the committee hopes to demonstrate what is available to community members and answer any questions they may have.

“It’s really all the pooling of different services together into one location that makes it unique,” Jackson said. “The fact that we’re one of nine ‘age friendly’ communities in the state and the only one in Pinal County is also exciting.”

Participants will be able to attend any workshop or presentation they’d like during the four-hour event. City Hall doors will open at 9 a.m., and booths and workshops will be set up throughout the building.