[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 6383]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                PIMA COUNCIL ON AGING--50TH ANNIVERSARY

                                  _____
                                 

                         HON. RAUL M. GRIJALVA

                               of arizona

                    in the house of representatives

                          Tuesday, May 2, 2017

  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and congratulate 
Pima Council on Aging on its 50th anniversary of service to older 
adults and their families in Congressional District Three.
  As one of the nation's oldest Area Agencies on Aging, Pima Council on 
Aging (PCOA) has advocated on behalf of older adults since the days 
when 30 percent of Americans aged 60 and older lived in poverty. That 
number has been reduced by nearly two-thirds over the past five 
decades, but there is much work still to be done. PCOA's efforts are 
tireless and they continue to be at the forefront of advocacy and 
services to older adults in Pima County.
  The work done by PCOA and the aging services network is more critical 
now than ever before. Each day, up to 10,000 baby boomers are turning 
65 and over the next twenty years, 75 million baby boomers will reach 
retirement age. In Pima County, older adults are the fastest growing 
portion of the population. Continuing to work towards solutions and 
support systems to combat pressing concerns like the fear of falling 
and understanding the Medicare system are paramount to PCOA's success 
and our communal success.
  Over the years, I've come to know the organization well. Since the 
beginning, Marian Lupu was the zealous driving force behind better care 
and programs for older adults in Pima County, the State of Arizona, 
nationally, and even internationally. One such initiative for better 
care was creating one of the first case management service systems for 
older adults in the United States in the early 1970s. After her 
retirement, I've watched PCOA thrive in the Tucson community, being a 
staple in the community for my constituents and many others across the 
county. They have continued as the leading force behind services that 
support older adults in living with dignity and independence in Tucson 
and throughout Pima County.
  Thank you for continuing to be a voice for change in our community. I 
look forward to working with PCOA in the future to advocate on behalf 
of older people in southern Arizona.

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