Good morning, and welcome to the Senior Spotlight! I’m your host, Gary Emmert, bringing you the latest news, stories, and insights specially curated for our senior community.

Every Saturday, we delve into the topics that matter most to you, from health and wellness tips to local events and national headlines. Whether you’re looking for thoughtful discussions, inspiring stories, or simply want to stay informed, Senior Spotlight is here to shine a light on the issues that impact your life.

We have a lot of good information to cover today, so let’s get started.

Ensuring Safety: Texas Silver-Haired Legislature Pushes for Backup Power in Assisted-Living Facilities

The TSHL is advocating for a vital new regulation that would require licensed assisted-living facilities (ALFs) in Texas to maintain an emergency backup power source capable of running for at least 72 hours. 

As severe weather events and unexpected power outages continue to impact Texas, this proposed resolution seeks to protect vulnerable residents who rely on electricity-dependent medical equipment, air conditioning, and essential services. 

The Urgent Need for Backup Power

The lack of reliable emergency power in Texas ALFs has already posed significant risks. During a major outage event, 56 ALFs were forced to evacuate their residents, while only nine facilities had the backup power needed to remain operational. Some displaced seniors even had to seek refuge in homeless shelters due to the lack of adequate emergency planning. 

A Texas Health and Human Services survey conducted between September 2021 and March 2022 revealed concerning statistics: 

• Out of 2,025 ALFs, only 715 (47%) reported having **backup generators. 
• Among those, just 402 facilities had emergency power for heating and air conditioning, while 565 facilities had backup power for electrical outlets. 

A Life-Saving Solution 

TSHL’s resolution proposes a common-sense solution: requiring ALFs to equip at least 40% of their facilities with backup emergency power for critical spaces, including: 

• Kitchens for food preparation 
• Bathrooms for hygiene needs 
• Designated areas for beds and wheelchairs 
• Adequate electrical outlets for respiratory devices and other medical equipment 
• Climate control systems to maintain safe temperatures 

The proposal takes inspiration from similar legislation already enacted in Florida, Maryland, and Virginia, which has helped prevent emergency evacuations and improve resident safety. 

A Call for Legislative Action 

TSHL is urging the 89th Texas Legislature to pass this life-saving measure, ensuring that every ALF in the state has the ability to protect its residents during power failures. 

With a growing aging population and unpredictable weather patterns, this resolution aims to set a new standard for emergency preparedness, ensuring that assisted-living residents across Texas never have to endure dangerous outages again.

In once specific and recent example, the National Weather Service out of Fort Worth confirmed 10 tornadoes that occurred the evening and night of April 19th. These tornadoes were west of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, and extended from Erath County up into Montague County. Fortunately, no injuries or loss of life were reported due to these storms.

If you have any questions for Gary about Medicare and Medicaid Insurance, his number is (512) 791-4000.

And if you have any questions about the TSHL, you can call Gary or Linda at (903) 654-8249 or visit their website at TSHL.org.

Senior Centers and Information from Your Area

If you’re celebrating a birthday in April, the Lions Club Park Senior Center invites you to join them for a special Birthday Lunch on Wednesday, April 30 at 11:30 am. Those who sign up in advance will receive cards and gifts in honor of their special day! Don’t forget to write your name on the birthday sign-up sheet to be included.

And speaking of Killeen, there are still two more days of early voting before the May 3rd election next Saturday.

For more information, visit KilleenTexas.gov/election.

In Harker Heights, during early voting and elections, the following Senior Recreation activities will move to the Activities Center, located at 400 Indian Trail.

• Pinochle
• Ping Pong
• Scrabble
• Bunco
• Canasta

Water color scheduled for the 30th is cancelled. All other activities will be held at the Recreation Center.

For more information, they can be contacted at (254) 953-5683.

The Belton Senior Activity Center is hosting their Pot Luck on Monday, April 28th at 5:30pm with Music Bingo sponsored by the City Youth Advisory Committee.

Early Voting for the 2025 Temple City Council District 1 election continues this week at the TISD Administration Building (401 Santa Fe Way).

🕐 Early Voting Schedule

📍 April 28–29 | 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM

Don’t miss your chance to vote! For more information, please visit templetx.gov/election.

The Salado Senior Center, located at 650 Royal Street in Salado, invites you to come play Pickleball on Mondays. There are three courts available from 9am to 3pm. For more information, visit their website at saladosniorcenter.org or call (254) 271-2415.

Early voting in Salado is held at the Saldo Civic Center, located at 601 North Main Street. On Monday, the polls are open from 7am to 7pm. On Tuesday, the polls are open from 8am to 5pm.

In April, the Treasure of the Hills Senior Center scheduled three excellent Lunch & Learns. They begin at noon with a free lunch, followed by a presentation and Q&A. Be sure to register in advance for the next session on Wednesday, April 30th, Tara Kendrick’s presentation is about comprehensive long-term senior retirement planning. Her company is Senior Resource Center. Their services include Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, and VA Aid. All these things roll into a safe, secure retirement. Consultations are FREE.

The Opportunities for Williamson & Burnet Counties (OWBC) Senior Nutrition Program offers nutritionally balanced, homemade lunches at a low cost for seniors age 60 and older at the Baca Center. Lunch is served Monday through Friday between noon and 12:30pm. To sign up, visit the OWBC office in the dining room on Mondays from 9am from 1pm. For more information, call (512) 255-4970.

The Allen R. Baca Center is located at 301 W. Bagdad Avenue, Building 2 in Round Rock. Their number is (512) 218-5499 and you can visit their website at bacacenter.com.

The City of Austin’s Asian American Resource Center is hosting its annual CelebrASIA Austin event—a vibrant celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month!

This free, family-friendly festival will take place on Saturday, May 3, 2025, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., featuring:

Performances from a variety of talented groups on the main indoor stage at the AARC ballroom.

Immersive cultural experience rooms, where visitors can engage in hands-on activities inside AARC’s classrooms.

Community organization tables with engaging activities.

Food and drinks from local vendors, offering a taste of authentic Asian cuisines.

The Asian American Resource Center (AARC) is dedicated to fostering a welcoming and healing environment for Asian American communities in Austin and beyond. Through collaborations and partnerships, AARC provides rental space, hosts cultural, educational, and wellness programs, and curates art and historical exhibitions—all with the goal of supporting and connecting diverse communities.

The center is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. They are located at 8401 Cameron Road in Austin and their phone number is (512) 974-1700.

You can also explore the space by taking a Virtual Reality Tour of the Asian American Resource Center.

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Thank you for stopping by and we would love to see you every Saturday morning at 9:20am for the Senior Spotlight. And if you have any questions or would like to let us know about an event or news that would be of benefit to our listeners and followers, please visit our blog website at myKNCT.com/seniorreport.