Santa Clara County Seniors Digest

Palo Alto senior Judy Ousterhout had been pondering her future as a healthy older adult: Where would she retire? How could she generate extra income? Her backyard was the answer.

Ask Palo Alto residents about their city, and many will praise its parks, job opportunities and educational offerings. But a new survey also shows other concerns.

LGBTQ group AVENIDAS, known for working with stigmatized San Jose youth, turns its sights to elders in Milpitas, creating safe space and a dog-walking group.

San Jose has provided 4,000 low-cost units, and more than 800 new units will be made available for seniors by next spring. But what’s needed is tens of thousands of apartments, says Geoffrey Morgan, president and CEO of First Community Housing.

Milpitas just got SMART. The acronym stands for Simple Mobile Access to Reliable Transit, which will provide app-based mini-van transit on weekdays. Milpitas mayor Rich Tran says, “By moving more people in fewer but more productive vehicles, we are catalyzing a generational shift in how people get around Milpitas.”

"No one ever expected that a pandemic would occur nor that it would last over two years," said Millicent Grant, executive director of the center.

With its revenues on the rise, the city advances an ambitious infrastructure plan that would rehabilitate public buildings and complete streetscape improvements at the Charleston-Arastradero corridor.

State-issued bonds will fund an 80-apartment complex for low-income seniors, half of which will be formerly homeless. The Santa Clara City Council unanimously approved the housing development, to be located at 3333 Kifer Road.

Years in the making, the Vietnamese Service Center is finally opening near San Jose’s Little Saigon area. It will provide health and human services to the more than 140,000 Vietnamese residents of the region.

Los Gatos resident Ed Stahl is 89 years old and has yet to retire from his business. He also hasn’t stopped traveling. After visiting 137 countries, he is planning his fourth trip to Antarctica.

After being repeatedly asked at mobile vaccination clinics what could be done for homebound seniors, nurse Jennifer Rivera started a home visit program. The team also visits long-term care facilities.

One group of local seniors found ways to stay connected during the pandemic through a grassroots support network to help those aging at home combat isolation. Called Avenidas Village, the organization operates much like a mutual aid society.

Senior residents in five Santa Clara County municipalities will soon benefit from an expansion of Reach Your Destination Easily (RYDE), which provides transportation to people over 65.

City officials are pondering a new name and other changes at the Gilroy Senior Center—including the loss of a gift shop that has been part of the center for 40 years. Shop president Beverly Kirk said, “We senior ladies are heartbroken.”

In celebration of her 100th birthday, longtime Los Altos resident Kathryn Gemello has been invited to throw out the first pitch at a San Francisco Giants game on June 26, when the Giants take on the Oakland A’s at Oracle Park.