However, now-Mayor Patrick Kwok organized a senior commission in February 2004 in part to address the issue.

"It's very important to address the needs of seniors," Kwok said. "We need to give them that benefit, especially since we are all seniors in training." According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 10 percent of Cupertino residents are aged 65 or over.

After several public hearings, and with the input of seniors, the senior commission developed a new formula for funding the position.

"Membership fees were slightly increased to offset the cost of a case manager," said Julia Lamy, director of Cupertino's senior center. The center raised its fees by seven dollars to $22. Other crucial sources of funding included the city of Cupertino and the Council on Aging. "The city will only have to pay one-third of the cost of the case manager," Kwok said.

The case manager helps seniors obtain health, financial and social services and also acts a liaison between seniors and their families. In 2004, with no caseworker on site, the senior center referred its members to a Council on Aging hotline for these services.

The presence of a full-time, on-site case manager is an improvement over that system.

"It's valuable having someone who knows seniors' medical history and who can keep track of their medications and provide follow up," Kwok said.

"It makes a big difference," said new case manager Karen Du Goss.

Goss said her primary responsibilities include helping seniors with housing and health insurance issues. She said she particularly enjoys working with seniors because of their, "amazing experiences and life stories."

Previously, Goss worked for four years as a service coordinator for seniors in downtown San Jose and at the Sunnyview Retirement Home in Cupertino.

Born in Vietnam and raised in China until the age of 14, Goss said her experience as an immigrant and her Mandarin and Cantonese language skills are helpful in highly diverse Cupertino.