There are several items that are essential to aging well: good food, exercise, cognitive stimuli, and social inclusion and participation. Everyone likes to feel like s/he is a part of something, whether it is the daily meal at the senior center with friends, a drive into the mountains with a sibling, or just hanging out. Age- and Dementia-Friendly Winnemucca has closely studied what we already have to offer in our community and we have also asked, "What else would you like?"
Well, most responses to the latter happened to be activities that already exist, like book clubs, crafting groups, and card clubs. We realized that an important step in promoting social inclusion and participation required that we advertise events better.
Between excellent connections and publishing with our local newspaper, contact with our two radio stations, adding messages to the downtown marquee, and producing a booklet with contact information and event calendar, we feel like we have really reached out to help others become aware of what's happening, when, and where.
We also wanted to get more particular about just what it was people really wanted and what each group had to offer. For example, are folks interested in fiction or non-fiction as far as book clubs are concerned? Does the crafting group greet everyone with open arms, even those who are "crafting challenged"? As for the card club, are members accepted who have some cognitive decline? Is each group patient and helpful? Does each group welcome new participants? And really, are any of these groups well suited to anyone regardless of age, mental cognition, and perhaps a handicapping condition? Some exploration is needed.
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