Making Florida Livable for All By Richard Prudom, Secretary for the Florida Department of Elder Affairs

Making Florida Livable for All

By Richard Prudom Secretary for the Florida Department of Elder Affairs

At the Department of Elder Affairs, we are focused on improving the well-being of Florida seniors and their caregivers through several initiatives, including protecting older Floridians from abuse, neglect and exploitation; implementing important changes to the guardianship program; expanding the Dementia Care and Cure initiative across the state; and facilitating Livable Communities throughout Florida that support our Age-Friendly Initiative – Livable Florida.

From time to time, it is appropriate to take a step back and evaluate the direction an organization is taking. An agency’s mission and vision are critical to establish direction and better link our daily work to a greater goal.

To that end, I am excited to announce that the Department of Elder Affairs has recently unveiled a mission and vision that will serve as the guiding force for our efforts and the work we do every day to serve Florida families. Mission: To promote the well-being, safety, and independence of Florida’s seniors, their families, and caregivers. Vision: For all Floridians to live well and age well. In April, I was honored to join Governor DeSantis and state and national leadership from AARP to announce Florida as only the fourth state in the nation to achieve the Age-Friendly Designation. By implementing age-friendly practices and principles in local communities, we achieve inclusiveness, engagement and well-being of all regardless of age or ability and help to make those communities places seniors want to call home. It is a pleasure to lead a department filled with dedicated employees who carry out the mission and vision of DOEA, and I applaud them for all their hard work, day in and day out, to serve seniors and their families. It is our true honor to do so.

There are many exciting things going on at DOEA and across the Aging Network right now, and I am proud to work with our partners as we strive to make Florida a place where we all can live well and age well.