Tami Bohannon
Submitted photo/Jaron Quach
By Tami Bohannon | AllThrive 365
Each September, Healthy Aging Month gives us the opportunity to celebrate the positive aspects of growing older while also recognizing the ways individuals and communities can support one another in living longer, healthier and more fulfilling lives.
Healthy aging isn’t just about adding years to our lives, it’s about adding life to our years. And one of the most powerful tools to achieve this is through engaging, community-centered programs that provide purpose, connection and independence.
For 53-year-old Chris, healthy aging began long before his hair turned gray. A star athlete and thriving college student, Chris’s life took a dramatic turn at just 21 when he slid on black ice while driving and sustained a traumatic brain injury.
The accident altered the course of his life, leaving Chris in need of around-the-clock support. His sister, Mimi, worried about where he could find belonging, stimulation and purpose as he got older. They never imagined that Chris’s long-term care would begin in his third decade of life — but with the help of AllThrive 365, his story is one of resilience and thriving, not isolation.
Chris spends three days a week at the Adult Day Health Center in Glendale. The vibrant, interactive environment helps him feel connected, challenged and proud of what he can accomplish. He’s a beloved member of the community, known for his sharp trivia skills, reigning pool champion status and warm welcome to new attendees.
For Chris and for countless others facing physical, cognitive or social challenges in adulthood, these programs provide more than just safe supervision. They offer enrichment, dignity and a sense of community.
Why community-based care matters — and why it’s urgent
Healthy aging isn’t just a personal journey, it’s a public challenge. Arizona is aging faster than the national average, with older adults projected to outnumber children by 2030. This demographic shift is straining families, caregivers and health care systems alike.
While nursing homes and in-home care are often seen as the default options, they’re not always accessible, affordable or aligned with what aging adults truly want: connection, autonomy and purpose. That’s where adult day health centers stand apart.
Unlike traditional care models that can isolate, dehumanize or medicalize aging, these centers offer a preventive, person-centered approach. Participants receive health monitoring, nutritious meals and medication support, and they also engage in meaningful activities, build friendships and contribute to a vibrant community.
For caregivers like Mimi, these centers offer respite and the peace of mind knowing their loved ones are safe, stimulated and socially engaged.
A call to reimagine healthy aging
This Healthy Aging Month, it is important to recognize that living longer does not guarantee living well. Aging with social support and continued purpose takes intention and resources. For Chris, those resources have allowed him to continue thriving well into his 50s, something his family might not have believed possible decades ago.
The message is clear: when we invest in adult day health centers and programs that emphasize independence, quality engagement and dignity, we extend not just longevity but quality of life.
Healthy aging is a shared responsibility, and together we can create communities where aging is not feared but embraced. Because at the end of the day, healthy aging is not about counting the years. It’s about making the years count.
Editor’s note: Tami Bohannon is CEO of AllThrive 365, a Phoenix nonprofit that supports adults throughout the Valley as they age, with facilities in Glendale, Peoria, Phoenix, Tempe and Wickenburg. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.