About Martha Shapiro

Martha Shapiro, Director of Programs at Senior Concerns, authors a weekly column for the Ventura County Star titled “Senior Advocate,” focusing on issues affecting seniors and their family caregivers. Martha Shapiro is the Director of Programs for Senior Concerns. In this role, Martha oversees the Adult Day Program, the Caregiver Support Center, and the Senior Advocate Program. She ensures that the programs run smoothly day to day and that every participant is treated with dignity and respect to maximize their quality of life. Martha brings to this role a background in older adult services and caregiver support. She earned her Master’s degree in Social Welfare from UCLA and currently holds her License in Clinical Social Work (LCSW). Martha serves on many community committees including the Ventura County Military Collaborative, The Financial Abuse Specialist Team, The Ventura County Compassionate Care Coalition, The Dementia Care Network and the LGBT Aging Coalition of Ventura County.

Honoring Family Caregivers

Every year, Senior Concerns hosts a Caregiver Recognition Day event to honor family caregivers. As we prepare for this year’s event, I am again reminded of our community’s incredible strength and compassion. I often write about issues that family caregivers manage every day. While each person’s needs are unique, the caregiver community shares many [...]

By |2025-04-02T17:20:34-07:00April 9th, 2025|Martha Shapiro's Column|0 Comments

Standing Up To Ageism

I recently heard Doctor Karen Gorback talk about standing up to ageism. I have written about this topic before and felt it deserved more attention as it is an ongoing issue in our community. Dr. Gorback shared that it is important to recognize the problem, understand why it is dangerous to our physical and [...]

By |2025-04-03T17:37:35-07:00April 2nd, 2025|Martha Shapiro's Column|0 Comments

Helping seniors get around town independently

Q: What is the Dial-A-Ride program, and where is it available? I have heard  many different things about this transportation program and would like to know more. A: Dial-A-Ride (DAR) is a transit program that provides paratransit and senior origin-to-destination transportation service to those who cannot use the fixed-route bus system. Unlike fixed-route buses, [...]

By |2025-04-08T10:05:20-07:00March 26th, 2025|Martha Shapiro's Column|0 Comments
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