The Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OKDHS) sends this information as posted below:
OKLAHOMA CITY (June 25, 2025) – One year after its launch of the Aging Our Way Oklahoma plan, Oklahoma Human Services is celebrating early successes of the collaborative statewide initiative to ensure older adults have access to resources, services and advocacy.
With input from citizens, aging advocates and policymakers, Oklahoma Human Services published the 10-year Multisector Plan on Aging — called Aging Our Way Oklahoma — in June 2024. The goal was to begin preparing the state for a significant demographic shift: By 2034, Americans 65 and older will outnumber people under 18 for the first time, increasing demands for aging services and support.
To help implement the plan, Oklahoma Human Services assembled steering and advisory committees comprised of thought leaders, policymakers, community champions and aging advocates. Workgroups designed to drive action on the strategies and solutions outlined in the plan are now established. These workgroups are each focused on a critical pillar of aging, including transportation, housing and caregiver support.
Additionally, more than 150 Aging Our Way Ambassadors around the state have been recruited and trained to empower community-based leadership and advocacy at the local level. Ambassadors serve as liaisons between older adults and policymakers and represent the Aging Our Way plan at events, civic clubs and churches. The intention is to expand the ambassador program to all 77 Oklahoma counties.
“The efforts of our Aging Our Way team and hundreds of volunteers and partners are already reshaping the landscape of aging in Oklahoma,” said Jeromy Buchanan, Oklahoma Human Services’ director of community living, aging and protective services. “Together we’ve built a strong and strategic foundation for the work ahead: making Oklahoma a model for aging with dignity, purpose and community.”
To engage Oklahomans on important issues for older adults, Oklahoman Human Services has formed cross-sector partnerships with organizations from health care systems and universities to nonprofits and faith-based networks. For example, Aging Our Way will partner in September with the Oklahoma State Department of Health, the YMCA and VillagesOKC to plan Oklahoma’s first Falls Prevention Symposium, recognizing that falls threaten the safety and independence of older adults at enormous financial cost.
“Within the next five years, one in four Oklahomans will be over 60, which is why this work matters now more than ever. The implementation of Aging Our Way is essential for our families and communities, as well as Oklahoma’s economy, since older adults play a vital role in labor force participation and consumer spending,” Buchanan said.
Looking ahead, Oklahoma Human Services invites citizens to visit Oklahoma.gov/aging to discover aging resources and services to support them or their loved ones. Individuals and organizations are also needed to continue the progress of Aging Our Way.
“Whether we’re hosting a community dialogue, supporting a neighbor, advocating for change or innovating inside an institution, we are each part of the solution to build the future older adults deserve,” Buchanan said.
About Oklahoma Human Services
Oklahoma Human Services offers help and hope to more than one million Oklahomans each year through a wide range of services and support that promote their safety, independence and wellbeing. Learn more at https://oklahoma.gov/okdhs.html and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
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