Partnership for Age-Friendly Communities -by Linda Osmundson
I’ve volunteered since I was 15 and worked with preschoolers at church. As a former teacher, most of my service involves teaching: as a layperson teaching religion, an art docent giving interactive tours and classroom volunteer educating about art appreciation. As an art docent, I’ve given hundreds of tours at five museums and one gallery. I’ve taught for the Alzheimer’s Association, craft groups and given lectures for OSHER Lifelong Learning. I aided teacher/parent associations and worked in classrooms. As a board member of the Traditional Jazz Society, I write newsletter articles and serve in several capacities at two jazz performances.
As a stay-at-home wife and mother, I believed volunteering improved my mental, social, physical and professional health. I’ve since learned other benefits of volunteering – reduces stress and depression/anxiety, builds self-confidence, provides a sense of purpose/worth and keeps a person mentally challenged. It also lowers blood pressure and promotes longevity.
Once I became a caregiver for my husband during his 10-year dementia journey, I dropped all activities. After he passed, I promised myself I’d not sit at home and become an 80-year-old recluse. I intended to volunteer, keep socializing and get involved.
First, I attended a program on Partnership for Age Friendly Communities (PAFC) and learned about Senior Access Points (SAP) Ambassadors. As a SAP Ambassador, I helped with the outreach program to inform the community how to access resources on aging. I manned booths, passed out informational brochures and answered questions at farmers’ markets, community events and fairs. I helped organize brochures, stuff them in packets and deliver the packets to anyone willing to advertise for us.
I heard about the PAFC Lunch and Learn program, attended but didn’t volunteer. Lunch and Learn provides information on various subjects pertinent to seniors like avoiding scams, fall prevention and normal aging vs dementia. For the free Zoom hour, bring your lunch, watch, listen and learn in your own home on your phone, iPad or computer. Email info@pafclarimer.org for the Zoom link.
When SAP was discontinued, I joined the writing team for PAFC’s two blogs – Graceful Aging and Empowered Aging (https://www.pafclarimer.org/blogs-intro). Graceful Aging shares a monthly series of essays which demonstrate how these senior contributors have gracefully aged through activities, experiences and insights. I’ve shared stories about facing a spouse’s death, becoming a “Mature” model, aging and choosing memory care facilities.
As a PAFC Executive Committee member, Bonnie Shetler’s most passionate interests include: initiating and keeping the Graceful Aging Blog (https://www.pafclarimer.org/graceful-aging) alive, working with the Tech Buddy program, and designing and maintaining the PAFC website (https://www.pafclarimer.org/). She recently joined a team dedicated to collaborating between PAFC and several community agencies to more creatively introduce local aging resources to the community at large, resulting in the Empowered Aging blog, which imparts stories of experience and services of local resources, such as Larimer County Food Bank, Elderhaus Adult Day Program and Aspen Club. She suggests subjects to team members. We choose a subject, research and provide personal experiences in the articles.
The PAFC mission statement says, “To foster leadership and strong community collaborations to enhance quality of life for older adults in Larimer County.” PAFC initiates projects to support four, age-friendly priority areas: Housing, Culture of Aging, Health and Wellness and Mobility and Access. You can use your talents and volunteer for a PAFC team. PAFCs approach to volunteering is unique in that it concentrates not on individuals but on teams.
Bonnie Shetler says, “Teams themselves take responsibility for a project from inception to execution. It’s definitely what appeals to me as a volunteer.” Bonnie's blog writing team consists of a group of writers who meet, discuss subjects and individually write the articles. The Tech Buddy team holds clinics to teach seniors how to use phones, computers, iPads, the Internet, etc., after which they provide some individual help with team members. To attend a clinic, RSVP at 970-224-6174.
Learn how to volunteer at https://www.pafclarimer.org/volunteer-projects.
Other agencies need volunteers also. Get active – volunteer!
Linda Osmundson is a published author. She lives in a wonderful neighborhood in Fort Collins. Learn more about her at www.LindaOsmundson.com.
