Highlights Of Our
Second Annual

CONFERENCE & EXPO
FOR SENIORS

“Civic Engagement- Our Key to Successful Aging in Community”

Luncheon Speaker Barbara Howard: “Understanding How the Power of Purpose Impacts People’s Lives”

Barbara Howard is Director, Gerontology at the MetLife Mature Market Institute®.  The Mature Market Institute is a leading source of knowledge and insight on both demographic and societal trends among people aged 50+.She discussed the findings of the Institute’s research on how seniors defined and acted on their definitions of “the good life.”  She opened by saying, “I can summarize this study’s findings in one sentence: ‘Meaning trumps money.’ ” The study found that “regardless of age, gender, financial status or life stage, the majority of people assign the most importance to Meaning-related activities and above all else, spending time with friends and family.” She distributed copies of a workbook and dvd  “Discovering What Matters” that people can use to do a self-assessment of their goals for living “the good life.” Copies of the study and workbook are available on the Institute’s Website: www.MatureMarketInstitute.com.

Highlights

SAC Director Bill Flynn presents House Finance Chair Steven Costantino with award for Saving RIPAE

Exhibitor Areas Were Busy Throughout the Day

“We often don’t take the time to thank people for a job well done in our hurry up society. Thank you so much for putting together the high quality program which we participated in on Friday. Our Liaisons who attended were not expecting to have the quality of interactions that took place and were very positive when they came in this morning....We look forward to participating in your next program.”

Conference Exhibitor

Resources from the Conference Workshops

Volunteerism explored the variety of opportunities for seniors to make significant contributions to the community through volunteering. It featured conversations with seniors about their diverse volunteering experiences. Co-Moderators were Janice Pothier Pac, Director of the Volunteer Center at Serve Rhode Island, the state’s center for volunteerism and national and community service and  Debra Tanner is Executive Director of Seniors Helping Others (SHO) in Wakefield, RI.

To learn more:     

Volunteer opportunities in Rhode Island: www.ServeRhodeIsland.org,
     click on “Volunteer Center”.

Volunteering and internships, nationally and internationally:  www.idealist.org

National and Community Service Options for Seniors: As seniors, when we hear about long term volunteering programs which pay stipends ( Americorps, VISTA, Peace Corps), we think they are only for younger people. This workshop explained how these programs are available to seniors, and heard testimony  about seniors’ experiences as volunteers serving in them. Jennifer Greenwood, the Director of National and Community Service Programs at Serve Rhode Island, moderated.

To learn more :

Peace Corps:  www.peacecorps.gov
        Local Contact: James Kostenblatt  (jkostenblatt@peacecorps.gov)

AmeriCorps:  www.americorps.gov
        Local Contact: Jennifer Greenwood  (jgreenwood@serverhodeisland.org)

VISTA, Foster Grandparents, Senior Companions, RSVP  www.cns.gov
        Local Contact: Vincent Marzullo   vmarzullo@cns.gov   

  
Social Activism: discussed how seniors can mobilize to win victories and improve the community.  Participating were organizers and members from the Massachusetts Senior Action Coalition, RI Gray Panthers, and the RI Organizing Project The moderator was Ivette Luna from Ocean State Action. 

To learn more  contact the following:

Massachusetts Senior Action Council: www.masssenioraction.org

Rhode Island Organizing Project: contact Lead Organizer Ray Gagné 
By e-mail: riorgproj@gmail.com

Gray Panthers of RI:  www.graypanthersri.org

Ocean State Action: www.oceanstateaction.org

Communities without Walls: featured three RI-based groups that are forming mutual support collaborations in South County, Little Compton and Providence. Joining the discussion was Susan McWhinney Morse, co-founder of Boston’s Beacon Hill Village, one of the first “communities without walls.” The moderator was Doris Donovan.

To learn more  visit the following Websites:

RI-Based Organizations: At Home in RI www.athomeinri.com  (Providence),

Southern RI at Home  www.sriathome.org  (South County & Newport)

Stay at Home in Little Compton www.stayathomeinlittlecompton.org

Beacon Hill Village: www.beaconhillvillage.org  An excellent source of general information about villages without walls (intentional communities) including ‘how to’ advice and manuals as well as links to existing communities all over the country and internationally.

Lifelong Learning is a strategy to help seniors remain vital and engaged, has become increasingly popular, and perhaps best exemplified by the Elderhostel movement founded in 1975. This workshop provided Rhode Island seniors with information directly from participants in two lifelong learning programs based in our state: BCLIR, and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Rhode Island. John Glasheen, an active lifelong learner, was the moderator. 

To learn more :

BCLIR: www.bclir.org

Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at URI: www.uri.edu/olli/

Our Conference also featured workshops on National Health Care Reform  and RI’s Global Medicaid Waiver. For Conference information on those topics, please use the link Reforming Long-Term Care at the top of Homepage.

SAVE THE DATE:
OUR 3RD ANNUAL CONFERENCE & EXPO FOR SENIORS
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2010
At the Crowne Plaza, Warwick RI