The Council on Older Persons (COOP) is an advisory committee of the Center of Community Solutions (CCS). COOP promotes a better understanding of aging as it addresses the issues and concerns of elders in the Greater Cleveland area through citizen-led assessments, policy development, community engagement, and advocacy. COOP consists of 50 members that represent major leaders in the aging network across Northeast Ohio. Coop has also added representatives from an organization that serves younger Ohioans with disabilities.
One of the most important roles that COOP plays is advocacy for older adults. Due to this year being a presidential election year, the issue for advocacy is much more prominent. COOP wants to arrange for candidates that properly represent older adults and advocate for positive change for older adults by accessing power for advocacy. The organization has recently interviewed the Ohio Attorney General, Dave Yost, about allocating elder abuse to come to agreements about how this problem can be fixed and what the next steps are. COOP also hears from experts about current trends and how to better assist older adults. If an older adult has a need that they want addressed, they are always welcome to come to COOP meetings or reach out to the organization.
COOP is a voice for change in the public and non-profit sectors to ensure that adults feel a valuable part of the community and are safe inside and outside of their homes. COOP is an invaluable organization because of its 360° service for seniors and caregivers by offering information and resources on education, safety, transportation, housing, and many other features. COOP works as a cross section between caregivers and seniors by providing resources for eacof those involved in this stage of life.