Use this search box to find articles that have run in our newspapers over the last several years.
Date: 12/19/2023
EAST LONGMEADOW — About 15 members of the community gathered at the Pleasant View Senior Center on Dec. 15 to learn more about making East Longmeadow an age-friendly town. Becky Basch, senior planner at the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, delivered a presentation on social and civic engagement, communication, employment and public safety for older people.
The listening session on Dec. 15 was the third session in a series over the past three months. The topics of other sessions included transportation needs, outdoor spaces and buildings and housing.
The portion of East Longmeadow residents over the age of 60 is 28.2%, as opposed to 21.2% of the state population. Of the 65 and older residents living in town, 30.2% live alone, 19% have Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia and 32.1% experienced depression. These figures all outpace the state average.
Social isolation and loneliness, which older adults experience at a higher right then their younger peers, significantly increase the risk of premature death at levels that rival smoking, obesity and a sedentary lifestyle, Basch said, noting members of the LGBTQ+ community and recent immigrants are also at a higher risk of loneliness and isolation.
Basch shared statistics showing that social isolation was associated with a 50% increased risk of dementia and poor relationships correlate with a 29% increased risk of heart disease and a 32% increased risk of stroke. Lonely individuals also experience higher rates of depression, anxiety and suicide. She offered several ways to combat isolation, such as offering activities, social and recreational programs for all ages, fitness and ability levels, promoting cultural diversity and multi-generational interactions and offering programs in a time and place that is convenient for older adults and supportive of people with hearing and visual impairments.
For individuals living with dementia, inclusion and participation can include memory cafes, support groups for people with the condition and their caregivers and memory kit programs. Another practice is the inclusion of “purple tables” at restaurants that have special hours for people with dementia and their caregivers. Overall, community awareness of signs of dementia and ways to communicate with those with such conditions are also key.
Among the resources identified in East Longmeadow is the Pleasant View Senior Center, which offers congregate meals, fitness classes, help with smartphones and cybersecurity, music, movies, games and activities. Churches and the wider faith community in East Longmeadow provide opportunities to gather and socialize, while the Parks and Recreation Department and East Longmeadow Public Library offer activities for older adults.
Basch discussed the importance of “reframing” the narrative around aging by avoiding thinking of all older people as vulnerable or requiring protection and changing the terminology used around aging. For example, instead of referring to those aged 60 and older as seniors, elderly or senior citizens, Basch recommends using terms such as older adults and older people.
Basch said it is important for older people to engage in employment, volunteerism and community boards. This fosters an age-friendly attitude among the public and helps to ensure local policies and practices reflect the needs of all ages.
Steps can be taken toward creating age-friendly public safety. In-home programs such as sand for seniors, smoke detector installation, safety and fall prevention assessments, and lock box and house numbering programs can all help people age in place. Meanwhile, emergency personnel can be trained in communicating with those living with dementia and people can voluntarily register their addresses to help identify them if they are found wandering.
After the presentation, the audience identified assets in town and age-friendly challenges. In several cases, people cited items as both an asset and a challenge, in that the building blocks exist but a program or infrastructure is not robust enough.
The top three challenges identified by participants were a lack of knowledge about technology, scams and a lack of recreational programs for active seniors. Parks and Recreation Director Donna Prather said the high school track is heavily used by students and members of the public without school business are not allowed on the campus during school hours. One participant suggested connecting the Redstone Rail Trail to the Senior Center. Another participant noted that there are not enough volunteer opportunities for older people. Prather told them she was accepting volunteers to be basketball monitors.
Another resident said older people need training on scams and what to do in emergencies such as storms and chemical spills. Fire Capt. Christopher Beecher said there are multi-departmental tabletop simulations for emergencies, but admitted the department could do more to share information.
The Senior Center was cited as the number one asset for older adults in town, with the library technology training program and engagement from the Police and Fire departments tying for second place. Koebler said many older adults coming to the Senior Center report being scammed, but at that point, it is too late to prevent it. Matthew Bridges of Chase Bank said the staff undergoes training to recognize scams, but most incidents happen outside of the branch environment.
People also said community organizations such as the Rotary Club and Lions Club offer social opportunities, as do community rooms at senior housing facilities. The feedback from the listening sessions and results from a randomized survey that will be mailed to residents over age 60 will be used to draft an action plan to make the town an age-friendly place to live and work.
“We really want everyone’s voice included,” Koebler said.