This is the premise for the work of the Older Adults Strategic Alliance, a part of Visioneering Wichita's strategic plan. Members of the alliance include non-profit organizations, health care providers, public and private agencies, foundations and academic programs.

Their work is tied to two foundations under the Visioneering umbrella. The first is the Quality of Life foundation, with the vision that south central Kansas will be a healthy, safe community with a vibrant recreation, entertainment and arts focus that embraces diversity and builds pride. The second is the Economic Development foundation, which emphasizes retaining and expanding current businesses and recruiting new ones.

For the Older Adults Alliance, partners want to bring new retirees to the region, and take care of those already here. Their strategies include:

1. Attracting and encouraging high-income retirees to relocate to or stay in the Wichita area

2. Embracing older adult citizens as a community resource for history, education, employment, and other aspects of community life

3. Providing and maintaining safe and affordable housing for older adults

4. Providing better healthcare resources or optional healthcare resources for senior citizens

5. Increasing services for older adults and marketing them effectively

6. Continuing support for senior employment programs

7. Providing ways to get mature adults more involved in the community

The Alliance works on multiple fronts, but essentially plans to make south-central Kansas a welcoming place for older adults. The focus of the Alliance ultimately is to protect and improve the quality of life of older adults – by promoting their strengths as workers, educators, mentors and keepers of the region's collective history.