“Aging Your Way: Conversations for Community Change” a new initiative sponsored by Senior Services, held its third seminar in a series of 10 at Fauntleroy Church Sept. 23 where Baby Boomers, including community leaders, were asked how they want to be supported as they age so their local communities can make changes. The first two gatherings were held in SE Seattle and Shoreline. The theme centered on the following question, “What would a senior-friendly Southwest Community look like?”

As a visioning exercise, Senior Services Executive Director, Denise Klein, asked participants to close their eyes.

“I want you to age yourself 10 years,” she said. She paused for a minute, and continued, “Where are you living? How are you spending your time? Do you know your neighbors? Do they know you? If you need help, who helps you? Who are you helping? Is your life fulfilling? What are a few things that would help you age well in your community?”

Participants were divided into about six per table and shared their responses with each other. Someone was concerned with the ability to climb the steep stairs in the house. One person said his family was far away. Another said she had no children, and wondered who in her family would help if she needed it. One woman worried how her relationship would change with her mother who was just diagnosed with muscular dystrophy, and how she might be needed to help. A major earthquake and heavy snow were also mentioned as threats to the mobility of Baby Boomers in 10 years and beyond.

Klein then raised the bar by asking participants to visualize aging themselves to 90 years old.

“Again, think about where you living?” she asked while most closed their eyes. “Do you want to be there? Who are you with, and how are you spending your time?”

“Community is the key to aging our way,” said well-known Seattle author and neighborhood guru Jim Diers, professional community organizer and former Director of Neighborhoods for the City of Seattle, who facilitated. He pointed out that current concerns include shrinking government budgets for senior care combined with a rapidly increasing aging population.

“There is no substitute to community when it comes to the things we really care about, whether that’s the environment, public safety, fighting for social justice, keeping democracy alive, or our health and well being,” he said. Diers credited his parents for being his aging role models and said they are very healthy because they are strongly connected to their community, and because they exercise. His 87 year-old mother rides her bicycle daily 25 miles, he said.

“Television, and now other electronic distractions, has led to a major breaking down of the community, people spending hours glued to the TV, not having time for community,” Diers added. “Our communities are being steered by outsiders with financial interests when, even in West Seattle, so many individuals are isolated, marginalized, and we want to talk about how to bring them back in. What would a senior friendly community look like in the future to make you want to age here?”

Diers listed off the “homeless”, “unemployed”, “immigrant”, “single mother”, “disabled”, “at risk youth”, and “old person” as “labeled people” who might become isolated by others in their own community.

There were large sheets of blank paper in the center of tables and color markers. Diers asked people to think about both physical and social conditions they’d like to see in their community as they age and to write and draw their ideas on the paper. Then each table would hold their picture up and discuss their choices to the rest of the room.

Responses included connecting through senior-friendly transportation systems, sharing skills and bartering, robust senior centers, area colleges like the South Seattle Community College to serve an aging community, the YMCA, neighborhood gardens on every block, affordable food, and clustered housing to encourage residents of all ages to interact.

To participate, and for more information, go to: www.seniorservices.org then click on “Aging Your Way” or call Project Supervisor, Dori Gillam at (206) 268-6737.