It's a Movement. Join us!
It’s that time of year again. You may be already sick of the holiday music that is at every grocery store and doctor’s office. Bundling up against the cold is already driving you indoor, and crazy. And, of course, there is that hunt for the perfect gift to give someone who already has everything.
Last year I gave some ideas for holiday gifts so I thought I would share a few more this year. Here are some ideas for gifts to give and what to ask for if someone needs to know.
Recently a reader on the Facebook page asked:
“I never see anyone on this page that is actually looking for a roommate or a house to live in community with other people, why is that? I live in the Triad on North Carolina which is in the center of the state, I would love to find other women who want to live in community, if you are out there please contact me.”
While we would love for our page to facilitate meetings it may not be the best tool for the job. However, there are many other ways to find like-minded people in your area with whom to build community. I thought I might provide some ideas and tools that can work for you.
I have written a couple of blog posts about this very subject. You can see them here:
So let’s take recap and take a look at some of the best online methods in a little more detail.
September 21st to 27th is Active Aging Week. This event, led by the International Council of Active Aging (ICCA) is designed to spread the word about the different ways in which people age and how to stay more engage and healthy throughout your golden years. Adults age 50 and older are encouraged to participate in local activities with each day focusing on a different subject.
If your community doesn’t have activities planned for Active Aging Week get together with some of your friends to participate on your own and work toward building a bigger event for next year.
Organizations throughout North America are encouraged to hold free or low cost Active Aging Week events open to the public. Events are intended to be educational and fun. Likely locations for events already scheduled in your community are parks, malls, YMCAs, and Jewish Community Centers. You may also find events happening at health clubs, senior centers, and assisted living communities. Some activities may include group walks, health fairs, dances, exercise classes, concerts, and anything local organizers are able to present. Programming is encouraged to be flexible and accessible for anyone who wants to participate.
The ICCA has provided suggested programming for specialty days during Active Aging Week. These include:
Do you think you might participate in Active Aging Week? If so, how? We’d love to hear your stories. Share them in the comments or join the conversation on Facebook!
To learn more about Women for Living in Community, visit our home page.
Photo from a past Women for Living in Community MeetUp event.
Photo credit Mike Belleme for The New York Times
On July 11th, the New York Times ran this article featuring myself, my shared home, and the Women for Living in Community network.
“We weren’t intended to drive into the garage and turn on the TV,” said Ms. Kilkenny, who is divorced and has no children. Instead, she believes “aging in community” is a viable alternative to growing older alone or in a more traditional situation, like marriage.
It was a fantastic experience to open our home to the photographer and reporter and have an opportunity to share our story. I encourage you to read the entire article at the New York Times site.
What are your thoughts on community living as we age? Leave a comment or join the conversation on Facebook.
I often talk about the financial aspects of community living options as we age. It is really great to be able to pool money and resources and live in shared house or community. Other subjects that frequently come up with this topic are companionship and caregiving. However, there are a few more hidden benefits we can take away from sharing a home or an intentional community with other like-minded adults as we age. Community living can make us healthier. Here is a look at some of the ways this works.
Many of us think of the internet as a young person’s tool, but that is far from the truth. There are plenty of websites available for boomers who are looking to connect with others or read about subjects that interest us. I thought it might be nice to showcase some of these blogs so you can add them to your bookmarks.
Here are a few that I’ve stumbled across.
When I started Women for Living in Community I didn’t choose that name because I only expected women to be interested. I wasn’t picturing a village of Amazons armed with spears to keep the men out. I also wasn’t thinking it would be an idealized community of feminist baby boomers. My real motivation is that I truly believe women would take up this mantle of change and lead the rest of the country into a new aging paradigm.
Ahem!
Okay boys and girls. Today we have a pretty serious lesson for you. People always ask me how to get started and for the most part the first thing to do is actually get started! I’m here to tell you that there are no magic words and no one will do it for you so hop to it!
But even I understand there are a lot more complex questions around the issue of building community. One of the top questions is “How do I know if these are the right roommates for me.”
Well, I’ve got some tricks for you.
Here are a few sure fire ways to really get to know someone.
“To my mom, Betty Jane Martin, who was a woman before her time. She was my hero and she continues inspiring me to find new ways to help others to age with grace and dignity.”
This is from the dedication page in my new book, Your Quest for Home. I wrote my book to honor my mother, Betty Jane Martin, and her memory and legacy.
I was honored to be asked to speak at the Positive Aging Conference for the third time in its 7 year run so far. I love the very concept behind the event: the new wrinkle, if you will, that aging is a positive thing.
345 people were in attendance at the 3 day event in February. It was an amazing turnout. There were quite a few equally amazing discussions and workshops offered. A few titles that show the breadth of the presentations:
