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Building community from the inside

Andi Bourne

July 23, 2020 |

Seeley Swan Pathfinder |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Seeley Lake, Montana

To better serve senior citizens within Montana, the Montana Area Agencies on Aging places an assistant and resource specialist within rural communities so that accessing existing resources is easier and building community-driven programs are better tailored for local residents. The services are often free for residents, with funding provided by local and federal grants. However, the financial stability in the longterm is uncertain because Montana's aging population is growing at an increased rate.

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Cracking the transportation bottleneck

John Blodgett

July 14, 2020 |

The Boulder Monitor |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Whitehall, Montana

In Whitehall, Montana, a senior center and a nonprofit that helps rehabilitate individuals with brain injuries joined together to enhance public transportation services for "multiple constiuencies," including rural, elderly populations and for those who are living with a disability. Although Whitehall Public Transportation was not immediately popular, in 2019, over 27,000 riders utilized this new, free service to run errands, travel to appointments and local events or just to meet other community members.

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The Perks of Roommates With a 50-Year Age Difference

Daniel J McGraw

July 10, 2020 |

Reasons to be Cheerful |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States

Intergenerational home sharing is a mutually beneficial option for seniors and young people. There are about 60 programs, run by cities, nonprofits, and platforms in the style of Airbnb, that connect seniors and young people for cohabitation. Seniors benefit by being able to stay in their homes, collect income, and have someone to help with social isolation and household chores. Young people benefit from access to affordable housing options in high-cost areas and engaging in rich relationship building. Home sharing services are facing legal challenges and the Covid-19 pandemic made cohabiting more risky.

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Japan: A glimpse at Montana's future?

David Erickson

July 01, 2020 |

Missoulian |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: Japan

A government-mandated care insurance program in Japan has gained both recognition and international praise for removing the burden of senior care from family members through the "socialization of elder care." The goal of the program, which has now been in place for two decades, is to help keep "elderly people physically active and less socially isolated," and could provide a model of care for other aging regions.

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They bonded over bagels and lox, then Covid-19 hit. Now this 82-year-old and his millennial friend bond over Zoom

Amy Chillag

June 23, 2020 |

CNN |

Multi-Media |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, New York, New York

DOROT is a non-profit organization that matches seniors with younger adult volunteers for social visits to combat isolation and loneliness and to promote intergenerational friendships. Many of the seniors are widowers and social isolation can lead to negative health consequences. The organization also delivers fresh meals and holds other events, but was unable to operate as usual once the Covid-19 pandemic hit, so DOROT helped seniors set up Zoom for online conferencing. The group has matched 500 seniors with volunteers and advises similar programs across the country. Many pairs have formed deep friendships.

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There's No Cure for Covid-19 Loneliness, but Robots Can Help

Kate Knibbs

June 22, 2020 |

Wired |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: Japan

Robot pet therapy, which uses a social robot designed to look like a small animal, weigh the same as an infant, and communicate in a socially comforting way, is helping isolated seniors find a sense of companionship during the Covid-19 pandemic. Although some have raised ethical concerns about "the role of robots in caretaking," others point to evidence indicating success such as "reduced reliance on psychotropic drugs, improved blood pressure and oxygenation levels, and stirred the emotions of patients who otherwise often appeared disconnected."

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In the quiet of a shutdown, students and seniors forge new friendships

Tara Bahrampour

June 19, 2020 |

The Washington Post |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Washington, District of Columbia

When the Covid-19 pandemic resulted in widespread lockdowns, a Washington, D.C. Episcopal day school partnered with a retirement home to help students and seniors provide companionship to one another and decrease loneliness. To help alleviate nerves about talking with someone they've never met, the program trained the students in skills such as cold-calling and offered an introductory script for the initial conversation. The students have reported valuing the conversations while the seniors have said "the connection has been a lifeline."

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Home alone yet connected: Casa Feliz equips seniors to be tech savvy

Renee Umsted

June 17, 2020 |

Dallas Free Press |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Dallas, Texas

Casa Feliz works with seniors to foster good health and emotional well-being. The staff took several measures to help seniors cope with COVID-19 stay at home orders. They organized opportunities for social interaction and activities over zoom, where the seniors exercised together, played games, and did other creative activities. Staff visited homes, sent fliers with tutorials and recorded videos to ensure all seniors could access Zoom. They also worked with a food bank to deliver groceries each week, where they would include any materials, like art supplies, that they would need for the Zoom activities.

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Hungarian Program Connects Seniors With Stand-in Grandkids

Eszter Katus

June 11, 2020 |

Atlatszo |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Hungary

The How Are You Today? program connects elderly Hungarians with young people who are also deprived of social connections during the Covid-19 pandemic. Festival Volunteer Center joined with Hungarian Charity Service of the Order of Malta to connect about 70 pairs for regular, supportive conversations to alleviate loneliness. Volunteers are trained to maintain boundaries to avoid certain emotional risks, however many participants have formed strong bonds and want the program to continue in some form after the pandemic. The organization is working on sustainable funding solutions to enable long-term operations.

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As coronavirus restrictions loosen, congregations grapple with including older adults

Yonat Shimron

June 11, 2020 |

Religion News Service |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Florida

When the coronavirus pandemic shut down large gatherings, some churches in the U.S. began offering outdoor services to safely serve their congregations – such as in one retirement community in Florida where members attended services via golf carts. As the weather turns cooler though, churches are finding creative ways to further engage older members such as encouraging them to join Zoom calls for song and worship.

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