Senior And Youth Groups Join Forces For Independent Living Initiative

By Jan Howard

Connecticut AARP and Connecticut Youth Services Association are joining together to plan projects aimed at helping senior citizens continue to live independently.

The joint venture is part of AARP’s Independent Living Week 2000 from May 1 to 7, according to Deborah Richardson, director of Newtown Youth Services. AARP has been sponsoring the event once a year, but this is the first time that youths have been involved.

 Connecticut is the first state in the country to have intergenerational teams for this special, annual week, she said.

On May 6 in Newtown, teams of adults and middle school and high school young people will be going out to perform simple chores or safety checks in older people’s homes as part of “Connecting Helping Hands Across Connecticut.”

 Locally, the event is being coordinated through AARP, Newtown Youth Services and its Youth Advisory Boards at the high school and middle school, Newtown Senior Center, and the Commission on Aging. Their goal is to get the word out to senior citizens and to volunteers.

 “There will be a wide range in ages involved,” Ms Richardson said.

The volunteers will make minor repairs and perform tasks to improve home safety and convenience to help older people continue to live independently at home longer.

Some tasks the volunteers will undertake include changing light bulbs and adding night lights, taking down storm windows and putting up screens, changing batteries in smoke detectors, installing handrails and grab bars, moving electric cords from walking areas, rearranging kitchen cabinets, and yard work.

The goal is to do 50 homes, Ms Richardson said.

In order to anticipate the types of things that need to be done, senior residents who would like to participate are being asked to fill out a survey, Ms Richardson said. “We are trying to have the survey filled out so we can see what services people want so we can put together teams of volunteers,” she said. 

The survey forms are available at local churches, the Senior Center, and Nunnawauk Meadows, and should be returned to Newtown Youth Services by April 6.

“We tried to keep the survey suggestions to things that can be accomplished in one day,” Ms Richardson said. “For larger jobs, perhaps groups could go back at another time.”

Ms Richardson said event planners hope to have members of the local fire departments go out to check the homes for safety issues. “They would look for different things than we might,” she said.

“I think it will turn out to be a fun event for the teens and seniors,” Ms Richardson said. “All eyes are on Connecticut to see if it’s successful.”

Roseanne Loring, program and parent education coordinator for Newtown Youth Services, said, “We have enthusiastic youth groups. It’s a good match. We’re looking at big and small jobs. There should be something for everyone to do.”

 “We hope it will be the beginning of relationships between young people and seniors,” Ms Richardson said.

“It will be nice for kids who live away from their grandparents and for seniors who don’t get to see their grandkids very often,’’ Ms Loring said.

In addition to adults and teens that will volunteer for the teams, the committee is looking for others to organize food for the volunteers, among other tasks. People with special talents, such as carpentry, are also needed for that day.

Information about the event is being sent to local clubs and organizations, such as the Rotary.

Residents interested in volunteering should call Newtown Youth Services at 270-4335 by April 6.

There will be a meeting of all people interested in volunteering on April 18 at 7 pm at Youth Services. For those who are unable to volunteer, donations are being sought to offset any costs of the day, Ms Richardson said.

She said if the event is successful, it could be done again. A follow-up survey would ask the seniors for suggestions of other services that could be provided.

“I’d like to see this lead to neighborhoods taking care of people,” Ms Richardson said. “We need to get the idea out there that people are living longer, and they want to stay in their homes.”