CHAPTER 12 THE COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENT

Community Dwelling Elders 1. Balanced Investors 2. Family-focused Individuals 3. Work-Centered 4. Leisure Investors 5. Faithful Members 6. Self Sufficient 7. Accepting Adaptor 8. Resistant Rebels

BALANCED INVESTORS Remain invested in life. They are committed and invested in at least 2 of 3 life domains: family, work and leisure. These individuals are likely to participate in community organizations, such as the church.

Family Focused Individuals Found most of their support in the family. Their investments and meanings revolve primarily around their family. The leisure focus IS the family.

Work Centered These are rare. It appears some older individuals progress through life with a dominant work orientation.

Leisure Invested This small group of individuals found meaning and importance in leisure. However, this was not a highly satisfied group.

Faithful Members This group focuses primarily on the church later in life.

Self Sufficient Rely on their own resources for dealing with changes in life. They were not engaged in work, leisure, or community groups.

Accepting Adaptor Reacted to change by accepting it and approaching life in a passive way. They are compliant individuals who react to change by changing. This approach to life is marked by low life satisfaction.

Resistant Rebels This is a group of angry individuals who try to change their environments.

If you work in a community based program such as a senior center, leisure may play a role in the lives of older individuals, however, not all types of individuals will embrace leisure as a vehicle for dealing with change in later life. Most older individuals in the community will pursue their leisure interests outside the framework of organized programs, like clubs

COMMUNITY CONCERNS “the goals of any comprehensive service program could only be truly achieved by helping older persons deal with problem source areas successfully”.  EconomicPhysical  SocialPsychological  Philosophical

Life Enrichment Techniques The individual needs to take an active approach to life. The individual actively seeks and finds ways to construct the life she or he desires. The older individual must function as an “open system” seeking new ideas and information rather than being a closed system unwilling to examine new ideas.

Cont. The importance of going outside the self and making an impact on others remains as a focus. Ulyssean lives are shared lives. The individual should continue involvement in meaningful activities. What is meaningful is subjective and an individual choice. The need to retain spontaneity and a sense of humor as being part of self-enrichment.

Community Based Services In Home Services Protective and Legal Services Volunteer and Employment Services Information and Referral Services Day Care Services Transportation Services Friendly Visiting & Telephone Reassurance Escort Services Center Services Educational Services

Multi-purpose Centers/Activities Creative writing/art appreciation Music appreciation Poetry Drama Self-awareness training Job training and placement History and current events Educational opportunities Research participation Group activities

MORE…… Family counseling Intergenerational programs Community project participation Crisis counseling Glaucoma screening Nutritional counseling Meal service Sexual counseling Homemaking service Health monitoring

Examples of Activities Offered in Communities Social: potlucks, dance, movies, bridge Sports: golf, tennis, swimming, shuffleboard Crafts/Hobbies: ceramics, quilting, stamp collecting Arts, Music, Drama: art classes, concerts, choral groups Education: foreign language classes, investment groups, book clubs Health and Fitness: exercise groups, yoga, hiking clubs, weight watchers Religious: bible study, religious groups, hymn singing