Survey finds seniors receptive to Aging in Place services

Survey finds seniors receptive to Aging in Place services

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Strength Training Strengthens Older Women's Brains

While regular exercise can keep you younger and healthier longer, not all exercise is equal when it comes to making your brain sharper. A medical study in Vancouver has shown that older women who did strength or resistance training twice a week improved their ability to think. Scientists call the type of thinking tested "executive function". They measured how well the women could pay attention and also figure out conflict resolution (using the Stoop test). It turned out that resistance training worked better than tone and balance exercise in making the women's brains function better.

You can read an abstract here in the Archives of Internal Medicine:  


http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/short/170/2/170?home

More Evidence that Exercise Keeps You Young

The New York Times Sunday Magazine ran a piece on January 31, 2010, on how exercise keeps you younger -- on the cellular and molecular levels. It seems that exercise helps keep your telomeres longer. Telomeres are on the ends of long strands of DNA. Every time your cells divide, the strands of DNA in the nucleus replicate and the ends shorten by getting broken off. It's the shortening that makes cells age and us age. Shortening telomeres = wearing out. (You can read more via the link below on the science and on the studies.)

But people who run a lot don't have their telomeres shorten as much or as fast. You can put ten years on your life with vigorous, regular exercise. That's pretty amazing. In fact, scientists who have been studying this say the findings are startling.

To learn more read the article:
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/27/phys-ed-how-exercising-keeps-your-cells-young/

Affordable Senior Housing in Fairfield County, CT

When Aging in Place in Darien conducted focus groups a couple of years ago, several respondents told us that they would have to move away from our town because they couldn't afford to stay. Our recent quantitative research confirmed such comments. Housing and taxes are just too expensive for some seniors.

Even though most seniors have paid off their mortgages, other living expenses still abound and keep climbing as people hire employees to help them with more daily tasks. Social Security provides only a portion of most seniors' income; and interest rates paid on savings accounts, CDs and government bonds are very low. Cash flows for many are withering away. So when property taxes, upkeep, food, utilities and the price of services all rise, staying in a large home in a place like Darien becomes more difficult financially. 

Darien has only 30 affordable housing units set aside for seniors. And it has very few market-rate condos or rentals. Because affordable housing has become a very hot topic in my town, and because I'm interested in helping seniors, I decided to see what neighboring suburban towns are offering by calling the local Housing Authorities and other government agencies. Here is what I've learned:
Darien - 30
Greenwich - 291
New Canaan - 119
Westport - 50
Wilton - 115

In Wilton, some of the assisted living and senior residences that rent at market rates have units set aside that are affordable. This is the case at the Greens at Cannondale and at Sunrise Senior Living. I wish we had affordable spaces at Atria in Darien. I also wonder why the old nursing home that now stands empty on the Post Road can't be turned into a mixture of market-rate and affordable senior apartments.  I wish that either the former library could become the new senior center and the old senior center could become affordable senior housing (or visa versa).

I'd love to know how others feel. Post your comments.

There is clearly a need.

ITN Expands Again

I just got this email press release from ITN America. It shows how ITN is expanding to bring transportation services to seniors in more cities across the country. I heard Katherine Freund speak about a year ago and was very impressed with how she developed ITN. It's a good case of social entrepreneurship.

ITNAmerica is very pleased to announce the establishment of ITNRacineCounty. We are especially grateful to Racine County and to the Racine County Economic Development Corporation. ITNAmerica now has a network of 16 affiliates in 12 states.

"We are so happy to be in Wisconsin and to celebrate the birth of our newest affiliate", states Katherine Freund, Founder of ITNAmerica. "We are already ramping up our training and support staff to help them build their new organization."

"Racine County is committed to finding creative ways to improve the quality of life for all its citizens without unnecessary burden on our taxpayers", says Racine County Executive Bill McReynolds. "Bringing ITN here to Racine County will provide a wonderful boost to seniors' quality of life, with safe, reliable, and dignified transportation. We are proud to help foster such an innovative program."

ITNAmerica is the first and only national non-profit transportation system for America's aging population. To learn more, please visit www.itnamerica.org.

Aging in Place in 2009

When I look back at 2009, it's easy to think about how hard the year has been. The recession has had a decidedly negative impact on so many. Yet, I feel really satisfied with one aspect of the past year -- the progress we've made with Aging in Place in Darien.

1. We introduced half-price taxi vouchers for seniors and the disabled. Now seniors can purchase the vouchers at Darien Town Hall and use them for rides on Everyready Taxi. The ride is then only half price.

2. Gallivant (the van for seniors and disabled) board members on our transportation committee helped us with research into area solutions for senior transportation, and in the process, became more energized themselves.
They are doing a new strategic plan, will hire a dispatcher and may purchase another vehicle.

3. AIP conducted a survey among seniors and learned key information that will guide us in our strategic planning. We had an amazing response rate.

4. We held a luncheon with a great speaker on arthritis. Over 100 people attended. Clearly, our seniors want to learn as much as they can about healthy aging.

5. AIP in Darien now has 170 members.

6. We've learned a lot about pros and cons of starting a nonprofit and about the other aging in place organizations in our area and across the nation. And we've continued to learn about agencies and for-profits in our area that help seniors.

7. We have a terrific working relationship with the new head of the Darien Senior Center, Beth Paris.

8. We are forming great plans for 2010 -- all strategically based. Keep checking back for more news.

We are looking forward to a productive new year. I hope you are, too.

Aging in Place in Darien Survey Results

In October Aging in Place in Darien conducted a survey among all the seniors (55+) in Darien (about 2,000). A total of 293 Darien residents completed the survey and provided valuable information to our Strategic Planning Committee. We learned that seniors in our town are just like ones nationwide: 90% want to live in their own home as long as possible. They also believe that they'll seek help in achieving that goal.
•    85% said that they have already called or would call the Aging In Place coordinator.

More information in future blogs.

To learn more about Aging in Place in Darien, call Alyssa Israel at 203-202-2912. Our mission is to help Darien seniors to live independently, comfortably and with dignity in their own homes as long as possible.

Happy holidays. Merry Christmas.