Director's Message
Eldertopia January 2006
January 2006
Over Thanksgiving weekend I tried to get caught up on some reading. I discovered an article in the Summer 2005 issue of Innovations, a publication of the National Council on the Aging, written by Dr. William Thomas, founder and president of the Eden Alternative.
Dr. Thomas notes that the current focus of discussion is on the threat of aging: how will Boomers retire and handle aging without bankrupting future generations? He agrees that this is a valid concern, but feels that it views elders solely as a burden. He argues for a different conception of elders, one that “places them within rather than outside of the central purposes of our society. We need a holistic perspective that appreciates and respects the contributions that people of all ages have made and are now making to the pursuit of happiness and our collective well-being…The wisdom of living in a multi-generational social structure is ancient, undeniable, and deserving of a word of its own.”
The word he has created is “Eldertopia: a community that improves the quality of life for people of all ages by strengthening and improving the means by which (1) the community protects, sustains, and nurtures its elders, and (2) the leaders contribute to the well-being and foresight of the community.” A community with many elders is seen as fortunate and puts these resources to good use for the benefit of the whole community.
Princeton has incredible potential to be an Eldertopia community. 16% of the population is over 60 years of age. The diversity of this community presents a rich variety of traditions of eldercare. There is a culture of volunteerism at the many institutions that provide opportunities for community involvement (“civic engagement”) and intergenerational interaction.
This article seemed especially poignant at a time when the media is focusing on Boomers turning 60 this year, the potential cost of the Medicare D program and Congress is passing legislation to slash benefits to the most vulnerable in our community. Yes, the booming of the aging population presents us with huge challenges in the areas of resources, finances, and ethics. We need people like Dr. Thomas who are trying to envision our future in new ways. If you are interested in reading more about his ideas, look for his book in our library, What Are Old People For? How Elders Will Save the World. His ideas include intentional communities for older people, “shabbaz” midwives for elders, and developing peacemaking and wisdom giving in older people. His Eden Alternative program works to reshape our thinking about and experience of long term care living.
It is a new year. Time for a new vision of the future.
Susan W. Hoskins LCSWNCOA Innovations, Summer 2005 p. 3.
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Previous MessagesJune 2013 - Age Friendly Communities June 2013 - Age Friendly Communities May 2013 - Navigating a Changing HealthCare Landscape March 2013 - Navigating Life’s Transitions February 2013 - Partners in Caring Princeton January 2013 - Men as Caregivers December 2012 - The Safety Net October 2012 - Documenting Your History September 2012 - A Journey of Transformation July - August 2012 - Gratitude & Moving March 2012 - Patient-centered Care February 2012 - Can you Spare an Hour? January 2012 - Challenges & Opportunities December - Are you Prepared for Emergencies? October - Chocolate for Memory September- Looking Back and Looking Forward Lessons and Legacies, March 2011 Independent Living February 2011 Witness to my Life December 2010 Elections, benefits and open enrollment November 2010 Strategic Planning September 2010 Hiring Home Care December 2009 Annual Giving by Sharon Naeole November 2009 Flu Pandemic 2009 October 2009 Healthy Memory, Healthy Mind September 2009 A Personal Perspective on Caregiving July/August 2009 Wei Ji: Crisis, Danger and Opportunity April 2009 Write your own obituary March 2009 Hope and Vision in Challenging Times Medicare Changes 2008: Take A Look! December 2008 Scams, Frauds and Rip-offs November 2008 Engaged Retirement: Beyond Financial Planning October 2008 September 2008 Caregiver Dilemmas Finding Rhythm and Purpose July/August 2008 V + 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 |