Director's Message
V + OA = ER (Volunteering + Older Americans=Engaged Retirement)May 2008April was Volunteer Appreciation Month and May is Older Americans Month. PSRC combines these in May to celebrate the 300 volunteers--most of whom are older adults-- who have helped PSRC this year. They are the embodiment of our new Engaged Retirement: Beyond Financial Planning program. This program is designed to help people contemplating retirement explore the many facets of retirement planning (health, finances, activities, relationships, etc) so that they can create a successful individualized plan with the right balance of work, recreation and giving to the community. It is being offered free to area employee and civic groups thanks to grants from Princeton Area Community Foundation and the New Jersey Foundation on Aging. To schedule a presentation, call Carol King at 924-7108. In addition, the program is teaching organizations how to attract and retain older adult volunteers. The U.S. Administration on Aging notes that beginning in 2011, the first of 78 million baby boomers will start transitioning into retirement, kicking off an expansion in the number of elderly people that will continue for decades. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, one out of every nine baby boomers will live to be at least age 90. Our Nation will benefit in many ways from a larger population of older adults, a group that constitutes one of our greatest resources. Older adults support our society by providing millions of hours of volunteer, community, and civic service through formal organizations and a variety of informal arrangements. You enhance our communities and personal lives by sharing and transferring knowledge of cultures, values, and life experiences among generations. Thankfully, the contributions of older adults will continue to flourish in the coming years, since older citizens of today and tomorrow promise to be among the most active and engaged older adult populations in our Nation’s history. PSRC’s volunteers visit and assist home-based seniors, teach classes, read with children, help with events and in the office, and prepare Mature Princeton for mailing. Some use familiar skills and others have learned new skills to meet our needs. New friendships are formed on the job. Each individual is making a meaningful contribution every time they come in. We are deeply appreciative of the gift of these volunteers. Let us know if you would like to join us! This year’s theme for Older Americans Month, “Working Together for Strong, Healthy, and Supportive Communities,” speaks to the opportunities we have to create better care and reinforce healthier societies for all ages. AoA urges communities to improve older adults’ overall quality of life by helping them:
With support from you, our collaborators and volunteers, PSRC is engaged in these efforts 365 days a year. Thank you! Susan W. Hoskins LCSW |
Previous MessagesV + OA = ER (Volunteering + Older Americans=Engaged Retirement)May 2008 Have You Had the Talk Yet? March 2008 Get Moving with FitRhythms™! February 2008 What Are Social Services? November 2007 Plan for the Future September 2007 The Up-side of Aging Summer 2007 National Conference on Aging: Let's ReThink Aging April 2007 Season of Giving December 2006 April Hill McElroy October 2006 Civic Engagement September 2006 White House Conference on Aging May 2006 Are You Prepared? October 2005 Watch Your Language September 2005 The End of the Journey May 2005 New Dietary Guidelines February 2005 Civic Engagement with GrandPals October 2004 The Challenge of Giving Care May 2004 Seniors On The Move April 2004 Random Acts of Kindness December 2003 Civic Engagement November 2003 |
