KEYS Our Future By Design Community Forums ~ 2004 & 2005 ~ Seniors

Seniors - April 2004 Survey

http://www.keysregion.org/surveyresults/surveyresults.htm

· GRACE (GrassRoots Arts & Community Effort, a Vermont program) – Art project for seniors – multi-town

Other comments – not rated

§ Encourage relationships/mentoring between seniors and youth

§ As they progress through life stages have increasing needs

§ What are we doing to help isolation?

§ Involve seniors – stop the isolation and warehousing – opportunities created to make seniors a part of public school system – youth programs, etc.

§ Honor the elderly

§ More affordable housing & senior services

§ Connect to (Service and Volunteerism #10) both as valuable resources and model that supports people to stay in their homes

§ Give them tax relief, retired people should pay no school tax

§ Better affordable senior transportation

Seniors Table Notes 9/29/05

as written on the tablecloth during café style conversations, in response to this vision/goals statement:

Seniors Vision: We envision a regional community where seniors, and those who care about them, are valued, respected, and supported.

Goals to move us toward that vision:

a. Older adults and their families will have access to an array of health, financial, educational, and social supports and opportunities.

b. Older adults and their families will be supported in their efforts to continue to live productively and be cared for in their homes and communities

c. Older adults and other kinship caregivers who are raising minor children will have their needs recognized and met in the community

d. Older adults will benefit from programs that protect their rights and prevent elder abuse, neglect and exploitation.

Conversation participants: Dan B., Larry G., Bob D., Kerry K., Marla L-E., Kathryn D., Ann O., Roberta S., Sharon B. (List of participants may not be complete for any table.)

• Drawing of heart with saying ‘nature and environment = people’

• Wisdom of Elders Connection with youth

• Advocate for adult education choices brought to the homebound

• How to fund?
• What about newly retired folks to staff volunteer pools?
• Property tax relief for elders…do they have to leave?
• *Can seniors afford to live in our KEYS area?
• “Neighbor to Neighbor” program…support at the neighborhood level
• We need town centers again!
• Gas at $3 per gallon is precluding commuting
• Set expectations for self sufficiency for some of this….more group presentations….maybe less 1 on 1 support programs
• Change the norm
• How about getting to the 70 year old group now… it’s ok to ask for support, it’s ok to give up your keys.
• Transportation for seniors – very important
• How do you get older people to open up and ask for help? It’s not a crime!
• Gut reaction is yes to all – but the devil is in the details i.e., funding, volunteer support, and resources!
Town Planners – what about designing areas where seniors can live and have services available?

• Older people central to community life – find ways to engage them in all aspects of community life
• “senior” is not a monolith – really several generations with changing needs
• Educating _____ “senior” population
• Maintain sense of independence despite reality of personal dependence
• Govt. need to value seniors
• Senior Centers focus on “old-old”, not younger (60-70) “seniors”
• Need adult daycare
• Reaction to goal
• -adequate resources needed – too limited
• -staffing – competition for social service help with hotel and other employers
• -elders not wanting to admit need for help – reluctant
• -transportation – challenge of handing over keys
• collaborative
regional
Outreach programs to bring activity programs to homebound seniors
What use to be a “family problem” (i.e. elder care) has become a “community” problem

• Walking paths
• Adult daycare – adult playground camp
programs for the young senior (60-70)

• Moving forward together

• Senior friendly
• Let’s get the “young seniors” at least to help
• more adult daycares
• continue excitement
• Name - 60 is the new 40 club
• frustrating
• challenge
more physical activities

• Young old and old old
• What is available for young old?
• How to appeal to that group? - name
• How to preserve participation for older
• transportation – prevention – disability
senior-friendly communities