Creating a livable Larimer County

August 2026

PAFC welcomes PVREA as our new Community Sponsor!

PVREA is a member-owned local electric provider servicing a large area of Larimer County and some of Weld County. As a cooperative, PVREA is governed by a board of directors. They share the same values and priorities as PAFC in listening to the community and creating solutions that address emerging needs. We welcome this new partnership in working together to promote a quality of life as we age in Larimer County. Thank you PVREA for your support!

(See their monthly article below on paperless billing)

Learn more about PVREA

How Livable and Age-Friendly is Your Community in Larimer County?

The Larimer County Office on Aging (LCOA) recently completed “conversations" in six local communities to help address this issue. PAFC’s July newsletter included a survey link from LCOA to help inform them in the development of their four year plan.

PAFC is now attaching an AARP survey regarding Larimer County’s continuing designation as an Age-Friendly Community in AARP's 1000 member national network. The survey addresses eight core domains of livability:

· Outdoor Spaces and Buildings: Safe public places, green spaces, and accessible buildings with ramps or elevators.

· Transportation: Safe, accessible public transit, and options for non-drivers like walkable sidewalks and bike paths.

· Housing: Affordable, well-designed homes that support aging in place and universal design.

· Social Participation: Fun, inclusive local events, recreation, and multi-generational activities at parks and libraries.

· Respect and Social Inclusion: Programs that value older residents, prevent isolation, and foster intergenerational connection.

· Civic Participation and Employment: Opportunities for older adults to work, volunteer, and have a voice in local government.

· Communication and Information: Access to clear, easy-to-find news and digital technology for people who may not use online tools.

· Community and Health Services: Easy access to local health care, social support, and care services.

Click here to view the AARP survey and if you'd like to complete it, contact us at 970-310-4900 or email us at info@pafclarimer.org and we'll help you get it completed. If you'd like, you can also print out the survey, scan it and email it back to us.

All responses will be treated with total discretion with no reporting of respondent names or contact information.

Input from the surveys will be forwarded to LCOA Advisory Council, the Fort Collins and Loveland Senior Advisory Boards for communication to County Commissioners and respective City Councilmembers for their consideration and action as appropriate.

Fyi: You can also find results of other recent community livability surveys online done by municipalities themselves such as in Fort Collins. Click here.

Click here to view AARP's livability index on Fort Collins (the graph above is from the AARP Fort Collins livability index).

If you missed August's Lunch and Learn on Cryptocurrency and Peer-to-Peer Payment Methods

AARP's ElderWatch presented on how to protect yourself from scams when using popular payment methods such as PayPal, Zelle, Venmo, and Apple Pay. The presentation also provided insights into cryptocurrency.

Click here to watch the video

UPCOMING EVENTS

Click here to bookmark the Zoom link

Join this engagement studio on fall prevention

Could Your Next Fall be Your Last Trip?

While older people love to travel,

many can do so no longer because

of life changing circumstances due to a

fall.

Falls are serious and costly.

Half of adults over age 85 had a fall in the last year.

Millions more Americans or "1 in 4 adults 65 and older"

fall annually. Less than half tell their doctor.

Falling once doubles your chances of falling again.

(Click here to read facts on falls)

Several resources are available in our community for education about falls.

One recent initiative co-sponsored by UCHealth Aspen Club and CU Anschutz is STEP (Scaling Trusted Evidenced-based Falls Prevention).

STEP shares a simple but transformative mission — "prevent injuries before they happen, support healthy aging, and strengthen the networks that keep people thriving at home" and lower the number of emergency room visits.

The engagement studio is not an actual class where folks will learn about fall prevention. It's a feedback cohort that's helping hone the curriculum and advise the facilitators on how to engage people to attend the class.

Not one. Not two. But THREE Larimer: Unlocked events are coming this September!

The Ranch: Go behind the scenes of one of Larimer County’s biggest community destinations! Explore the spaces you know (and maybe some you don’t!), learn what it takes to keep The Ranch running, and discover all the ways it serves our community beyond the big events.

Time: 9:30-11:30 am (arrival time 9:20 am)

Date: September 12, 2026

Location: Origin Arena, 5400 Arena Cir, Loveland, CO 80538

Longview: Get an inside look at Larimer County’s Acute Care behavioral health facility and learn about the services available to our community.

Time: 5:00pm-7:00pm

Date: September 17, 2026

Location: 2260 W. Trilby Road Fort Collins, CO 80526

Office of Emergency Management (OEM): Fires, floods, tornadoes…oh my! Learn how Larimer County prepares for, responds to, and recovers from emergencies.

Time: 5:30pm-7:30pm

Date: September 30, 2026

Location: 4872 Endeavor Dr, Johnstown, CO 80534

COMMUNITY UPDATES

Looking for the latest news, events, and resources for older adults or caregivers?

Click here to read Larimer County Office on Aging's August ’26 Newsletter.

Stay in the know and subscribe to Office on Aging's quarterly newsletters.

Click here to subscribe to the quarterly newsletter.

Neighbor to Neighbor (N2N) is recruiting participants for their HomeShare program in Larimer County.

Neighbor to Neighbor (N2N), a local nonprofit providing a spectrum of housing stability services, is once again recruiting participants for its HomeShare Program. N2N’s HomeShare Program is a free, safe, and convenient service designed to connect older homeowners with extra living space to an adult housemate seeking an affordable housing solution in the community. HomeShare goes beyond roommate matching by connecting compatible individuals and thoroughly vetting each applicant through background checks and interviews. Once accepted, potential matches are arranged based on their needs and interests.

If both parties agree on their match after meeting, an N2N coordinator helps draft a living agreement, which may include reduced rent in exchange for cooking, cleaning, shopping, or maintenance.

Interested homeowners can learn more about the program and application process by visiting www.n2n.org/homeshare, calling (970) 372-2005, or emailing n2nhomeshare@n2n.org.

Neighbor to Neighbor: Helping Older Homeowners Safely Match with Housemates for a Beneficial Living Arrangement

RideNoCo Update - Northern Colorado’s Free Regional Mobility Program

By Aaron Hull, Mobility Manager

RideNoCo demand continues to grow across Northern Colorado. Through August 19, 2026, calls increased 51% with 329 calls this year, and website visits increased 60% with 6,514 website visits this year compared with 2025 YTD.

About 55% of calls come from Larimer County, about 27% from Weld County, 24% from Fort Collins, 19% from Loveland, and 13% from Greeley; the demographic profile of calls shows that 59% of calls come from adults over the age of 60 and 44% of calls come from individuals with disabilities, with 16% needing wheelchair accessible vehicles.

The RideNoCo call data so far this year reinforces the need for accessible transportation across the North Front Range and for getting this information to individuals in our community, so they know what transportation resources are available.

https://rideno.co/

970-514-3636

Get Your Bill Without the Wait

Paperless billing replaces your mailed bill with an email notification. You’ll receive your bill faster, avoid mail delays, reduce paper clutter, and keep easy access to previous statements online. One bill, one payment, and more time to manage it on your schedule.

With paperless billing, you’ll receive an email notification as soon as your bill is available. Instead of waiting several days (or weeks!) for the mail to arrive, you’ll have more time to review your bill, plan your payment, and make any necessary arrangements before the due date.

Unlike a paper bill that can be delayed, misplaced, or mixed in with other mail, an email remains in your inbox until you’re ready to review it. That added visibility can make it easier to stay on top of monthly bills and important account notifications.

Some members hesitate to switch because they’re concerned about receiving both a paper bill and an email. Paperless billing replaces your mailed bill, so you’ll receive a single notification by email and only need to manage one bill.

Contact your local utility to update your billing preferences. Poudre Valley REA members can call 800.432.1012.

Click Here To Explore The Benefits of Paperless Billing

I'm Sorry, What?

by Bonnie Shetler

Several years ago I finally acknowledged that it wasn’t that my husband was speaking more softly but that my ears were missing details of the lower range of sound. He has a particularly low pitched voice and while subsequent testing identified the higher range as my problem, cutting off the high end makes the low end sound like a muffled murmur. Our routine pre-breakfast discussions of current events were becoming a challenge for both of us. I accused him of not speaking up, he claimed I wasn’t really listening.

Continue reading here

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