Manager of Pitkin County Senior Services, Chad Federwitz, has been appointed by Governor John Hickenlooper to the Colorado Commission on Aging to study the issues and challenges of the state’s older adult population. Federwitz will serve a four-year term promoting and assisting in the establishment of local programs and services for older adults, coordinating services among government and private agencies.
Senior Services Manager, Chad Federwitz
“I am looking forward to working side-by-side with the talented and dedicated professionals focusing on this important issue for small and rural communities across the State," said Federwitz, “ and I am honored that the Governor appointed me for this position.”
Federwitz, a Gerontologist, and dementia care advocate holds a Masters in Gerontology from the University of Northern Colorado as well as a Masters in Religious Studies from Naropa University. Before joining Pitkin County, Federwitz worked for 10 years in direct care service for older adults with Alzheimer’s and Dementia. In 2015, he was a member of the leadership team for the first Walk to End Alzheimer’s in Boulder, Colorado. Federwitz has spent the last 5 years researching and educating on the subject of the spiritual care of older adults with memory loss and has presented the results of his work at national and international conferences. He has been with Pitkin County Human Services, as the manager of Senior Services since May 2016, and continues to be an advocate for older adults particularly in rural Colorado.
“I am very thankful for the work we (senior services) have done since I have arrived, from last year’s Senior Law day, attempting to address the challenge of food insecurity in the valley by expanding our nutrition program, and the educational events and programs for older adults” said Federwitz, “I hope to continue working for older adults and their needs here in Pitkin, the Roaring Fork Valley, and now the state via the commission.”
The Colorado Commission on Aging was established in 2013 under the authority of the Older Coloradans Act (C.R.S. Sections 26- 11-100.1 to 26-11-106) to serve as the primary advisory body on all matters affecting older persons. Commissioners’ duties include:
Conducting, and encourage others to conduct, studies of problems of the state’s older people
Assisting government and private agencies to coordinate their efforts on behalf of the aging and older adults in order that efforts are effective and non-duplicative
Promoting and aiding in the establishment of local programs and services for Colorado's aging and older adults
Conducting promotional activities and programs for public education on problems of the aging
Reviewing existing programs for the aging and making recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly for improvements
Meetings are held six times a year with two meetings being held outside the Denver area and all meetings are open to the public.
For more information on the Commission and its work, visit their website at https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdhs-boards-committees-collaboration/colorado-commission-aging