In the News

Physical Health issue brief now available

Physical health is one of the most significant components of overall health and wellness. The Physical Health issue brief discusses findings of the 2008 ATW Indicators Survey along with other state and national data regarding physical health, disability, and chronic disease, and illustrates several current Texas initiatives designed to promote health.

Report on informal caregiving now available

Informal Care in Texas: Aging Family Caregivers and their Need for Services and Support (PDF) discusses the significant role played by informal or family caregivers within Texas and throughout the nation. It provides information on the specific needs of this aging caregiver population, and includes recommendations from a broad range of stakeholders gathered during focus groups held across the state.

2010-2011 ATW Plan now available

The Aging Texas Well (ATW) Plan is Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services' (DADS') response to the mandates contained in Executive Order RP 42. The executive order mandates that DADS create and disseminate a comprehensive and effective working plan to identify and discuss aging policy issues, guide state government readiness and promote increased community preparedness for an aging Texas. With guidance from the Aging Texas Well Advisory Committee, DADS updates the plan every two years.

Community Assessment Toolkit now online

The ATW Community Assessment Toolkit provides communities a process to determine the current capacity of their community to serve a growing aging population and to undertake planning and action to build an aging-friendly community. DADS provides the Toolkit to communities as a resource for self-directed implementation rather than as a service provided by DADS.

We age by nature; we age well by foresight, preparation, and creativity. The Aging Texas Well (ATW) program helps ensure that Texans prepare individually for aging in all aspects of life and that state and local infrastructure— laws, policies, and services — support aging well throughout the life span.

Individuals

How old would you be if you didn't know how old you are? — Satchel Paige

This website includes many subjects related to aging well. While you look through the list of life areas on the left, ask yourself:

How am I preparing?
What services, programs, and resources are available to me?
What do I need?

The site also includes resources to help you:

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Communities

We cannot seek achievement for ourselves and forget about progress and prosperity for our community... Our ambitions must be broad enough to include the aspirations and needs of others, for their sakes and for our own. —Cesar Chavez

Texas has more than 2.7 million residents over the age of 60; within 25 years, there will be an estimated 7.4 million Texans over the age of 60.

If they are to serve this growing population, community leaders have the responsibility to take action now to start creating an infrastructure that supports successful aging. A critical step along this path is to assess the community's social infrastructure.

Click here for the Aging Texas Well Community Assessment Toolkit.

ATW Executive Order

Texas Gov. Rick Perry issued an executive order creating the Aging Texas Well Advisory Committee and Action Plan. The order, which was issued in April 2005, formalizes the Aging Texas Well Initiative and asks the department to continue its work to identify and discuss aging policy issues, guide state government readiness, and promote increased community preparedness for an aging Texas population.

Under the executive order, DADS is directed to form an advisory committee to advise the department and to make recommendations to state leadership on implementation of the Aging Texas Well Initiative. DADS will create and disseminate a comprehensive and effective working plan to identify and discuss aging policy issues, guide state government readiness and promote increased community preparedness for an aging Texas.

DADS will also lead a planning effort to ensure the readiness of all Texas state agencies to serve an aging population by identifying issues, current initiatives, and future needs.

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If you want to subscribe to this page, click here. DADS contracts with a company called GovDelivery, Inc., to provide e-mail updates. When you sign up for e-mail updates, you are giving your information to both DADS and to GovDelivery. When DADS has your information, it is subject to the DADS privacy policy. When GovDelivery has your information, it is subject to their privacy policy. Read the GovDelivery privacy policy.

Updated: February 5, 2010