Helping Older Adults Thrive

Every May, the Administration for Community Living leads the nation’s observance of Older Americans Month. The 2025 theme, Flip the Script on Aging, focuses on transforming how society perceives, talks about, and approaches aging. It encourages individuals and communities to challenge stereotypes and dispel misconceptions. This year, join us in honoring older adults’ contributions, exploring the many opportunities for staying active and engaged as we age, and highlighting the opportunities for purpose, exploration, and connection that come with aging.

Older Americans Month (OAM) is a time to honor, acknowledge and value older adults as they contribute their time, wisdom and experience to our community. It is a time to emphasize the many positive aspects of aging, to push past traditional boundaries of aging stereotypes, and to embrace our community’s diversity.

Throughout the year, the city’s Older Adult Services division inspires and empowers older adults to age well through community connection, learning and play.

Older Adult Services (OAS) offers all adults 60 and over a safe and welcoming environment. Programs and services are delivered in Age Well Centers which honor the needs and desires of older adults.

Age Well Centers

• West Age Well: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• East Age Well: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Programs and Services

OAS is committed to supporting an age-inclusive community through their work on anti-ageism, Lifelong Boulder, mitigating social isolation and encouraging community engagement. Staff provides a continuum of services from health, wellness and lifelong learning to case management and supportive services. Staff has recently designed a training called Understanding Ageism and is offering it to community stakeholders.

Programs and services are available to adults 60+ and their caregivers. Program and service topics include:

• Case Management: Case managers assist City of Boulder residents 60+ and their caregivers with referrals to community resources, counseling on available services, case management and financial support for eligible clients. Call 303-441-4388 to connect with a case manager.
• Health and Wellness: A variety of classes that offer information about mental, physical and emotional health and well-being. View health and wellness offerings in the latest program guide.
• Lifelong Learning: An offering of various classes focused on technology, aging and creative pursuits. View all lifelong learning offerings in the latest program guide.
• Special Interest Groups: Topics include discussion, creativity, games, writing, books, photography, biking, table tennis and more. View group descriptions and information.
• Support Groups: Groups are available for family or friends who are caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia. View support group offerings in the latest program guide.
• Trips and Travel: A variety of regional bus trips and local meetups can be found in the program guide.

The online Let's Age Well Program Guide includes details on registering for programs and making appointments. Information is also available by calling 303-441-3148.

Older Adults Walks is an exciting walking program for older adults centered around healthy movement and connecting with one another. The group meets monthly.

Stay tuned for new walks, view all events and sign up on the city's volunteering portal GivePulse.

Colorado is among the fastest aging states in the nation and our state demography office has confirmed that Coloradans aged 60+ now outnumber those aged 18 and younger since 2023. “Now is not the time to balk at this emerging reality, but it is a time to plan, prepare, and invest in our communities, so that quality of life is retained across the entire lifespan,” shared Colorado Governor Jared Polis.

Lifelong Boulder is part of a statewide initiative called Lifelong Colorado which aims to ensure all Coloradans will be able to live and fully participate in their communities for as long as possible.

A community that is well adapted for aging is one where all individuals can thrive. Age-inclusive communities foster economic growth and make for happier, healthier community members. Many cities across the nation are taking steps to ensure their communities are age-inclusive and Boulder is no exception.

In 2020 the Housing and Human Services Department convened a workgroup of staff members from various city departments and other stakeholders to create a set of recommendations to ensure Boulder can truly be an age-inclusive community.

These recommendations, which will guide the city’s work for years to come, cover four main areas:

• Mobility and Access
• Housing
• Community Living
• Support Services

Learn more about Lifelong Boulder on the city’s website.

Featuring delicious food at great prices, the Meals on Wheels Eat Well Café is located at 909 Arapahoe Avenue inside the West Age Well Center in Boulder. The café is open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

For $7.99 (plus tax) you can enjoy a choice of two entrees, a side salad or cup of soup, dessert and beverage.

Additional options include:

• Custom paninis, sandwiches and wraps
• Create your own entrée salads
• Side salads, soups, and wonderful desserts

Learn more and find the most recent menu on the Meals on Wheels website.

In 2024, OAS distributed:

• $95,982 for assistance with basic needs (food/rent/transportation/utilities/healthcare, etc.)
• $13,000 for eye exams and glasses through the Hynd Fund (countywide)
• $114 in program scholarships

To learn more about the financial assistance available to older adults, connect with a case manager by calling 303-441-4388.

Food Tax Rebate Program

The city’s Food Tax Rebate program provides rebates to help compensate residents with lower incomes for the city sales tax they pay on food.

Rebates for 2025 will be $106 for individuals and $325 for families. The 2025 application period is now open and will close on June 30, 2025. 

Learn more about eligibility and find application information on the city’s website.

• TECH: Senior Planet Lecture – Smartphone Camera Uses Beyond Photography
  • WEST | Monday, May 12 | 10 – 11 a.m. | No Fee
  • Learn additional uses for smartphone cameras such as scanning QR codes, translating text, measuring objects and more.

• Coffee with a Cop

  • WEST | Thursday, May 15 | 9 – 11 a.m. | No Fee
  • Join staff from the City of Boulder’s Police Department, Boulder County Community Protection Division, and Housing and Human Service’ Crisis Intervention Response Team (CIRT) for Coffee with a Cop - an opportunity for community members to ask questions, voice concerns and get to know the officers in the community.
• Chat with Council
  • WEST | Monday, May 19 | 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. | No Fee
  • Older adults are invited to join a few members of the Boulder City Council for lunch at the West Age Well Center. This engagement is part of the “Chats with Council: program, which supports informal dialogue between community members and elected officials. Registered participants can drop in at any time between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. to share their thoughts with City Council Members. Space is limited and registration is capped at 25, so please register early. Participants who have registered for the event need to check in at the front desk to receive a meal voucher for a free lunch provided by Meals on Wheels’ Eat Well Café.

• SPECIAL EVENT: Spring Social

  • EAST | Wednesday, May 28 | 1 – 2:30 p.m. | No Fee

  • In celebration of Older Americans Month, join Older Adult Services and enjoy a light lunch, time to visit old friends and make new ones, and live music by Boulder local and classical pianist, Randi Stroh. Lunch starts at 1 p.m. with live music between 1:30 - 2:30 p.m. This event is sponsored through generous community donations.

Learn more about all Older Adult Services events on the city’s website or by calling 303-441-3148.