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Jan 2008
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Washoe County Senior Center Director Off and Running
Hailing from Oregon, Grady Tarbutton is working as fast as he can to become acquainted with Washoe County. Hired as the new Washoe County Senior Center Director three months ago, Tarbutton brings experience working with veterans, elders, and people with disabilities.
Tarbutton's career in aging programs include duties as services manager, program director, information and referral coordinator, and counseling in Oregon, Kansas and Washington dating back to 1976. More recently he served as the Community Services Manager for the Aging and Disabilities Services Division, in Multnomah County, Oregon. He plans to use that experience to further develop the states new Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) recently established in the county senior center facility. “The ADRC is a community focal point. People can come and get answers to questions they may have. Washoe County Senior Services needs to become that resource.”
Tarbutton is also keenly aware of Northern Nevada's fast growing senior population, something that he finds both intriguing and a challenge. “I'm very impressed with the staff here. There is a high level of dedication and professionalism, and an intense awareness that we are not where we need to be today. We need to find a way to get there.” Tarbutton says the County Commissioners are equally dedicated to getting unmet needs addressed.
“We have 63,000 seniors in Washoe County today. In 15 years, we'll have 100,000. We have to have a system that responds to the people we have now, and then we have to be working today to start dealing with those issues because ten years is not long in planning.” Tarbutton says population growth in the older demographic will effect the entire community.
“It's going to affect how roads are built, how buildings are built, how stores display merchandise, how customer service is given to people who have difficulty hearing and seeing. How do we watch out for people who are being financially exploited, and what do we do about caregivers who are tremendously disadvantaged?” Tarbutton says people are going to have to rely on the social services network. “They will not be able to do it alone, but will need a great amount of support.”
Tarbutton points to Washoe County's Senior Services Strategic Plan to help guide the planning process. He says many people are onboard in the community that are eager to be a part of the changes. “People who have lived here their entire lives obviously have a much better feel of what the appropriate things are for this community and the directions we need to take. I'm listening a lot…”
He is also interested in getting the community talking to one another. “We need to start talking about quality of life. There's a role for everyone…as a family member, a neighbor, a friend, as a taxpayer…in making our community as effective as it can be.”
“The objective is to try to find a way to take the next steps together so that we're most effective. Together we can find ways to become stronger.”
Experience:
Aging and Disabilities Services Division,
Portland, OR.
Executive Manager
Disability Aging and Veterans’ Services,
Hillsboro, OR.
Senor Program Coordinator
Lower Columbia Community Action Council, Inc.
Longview, Washington
Senior Services Program Director
Douglas County Planning Council
on Services for Aging, Inc.
Lawrence, Kansas
Information and Referral Coordinator
Urban League Senior Adult Service Center,
Portland, OR.
Counseling Supervisor/Acting Director