Building a community

By LIAM MAYO
Posted 11/1/22

UPPER DELAWARE RIVER VALLEY — When people, especially those who don’t agree, are able to sit in a room and talk to each other about important issues, we are able to find much, much, much …

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Building a community

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UPPER DELAWARE RIVER VALLEY — When people, especially those who don’t agree, are able to sit in a room and talk to each other about important issues, we are able to find much, much, much better answers, said River Reporter publisher Laurie Stuart.

She was introducing an event that brought together around 50 members of the Upper Delaware River Valley community for just such a conversation.

The River Reporter hosted the event, titled “Let’s Talk: Seniors,” in collaboration with Growing Older Together, a volunteer network that helps seniors in Sullivan, Pike and Wayne counties; the Sullivan County Office For the Aging provided additional support.  

The event invited people of retirement age to talk about the things they needed to see from their communities.

Participants got to rank their primary concerns both at the beginning and at the end of the event. Healthcare topped the charts as a concern before and after the event, with transportation rising from fourth before the event to second after and socialization staying the course at third. Among the issues participants wrote in were activism around global warming and voting rights, socialization in rural parts of the county, help with home maintenance that enabled seniors to stay in their own homes and concerns for LGBTQ+ elders.

The attendees split into four groups in the middle of the session, with facilitators taking them through a set of questions about the creation of a community.

What makes a community?

That was the first question facilitators asked their groups.

Answers varied, centering around a few general topics.

A community needs a wide range of activities for a wide range of people, said participants. They listed cultural activities—such as art galleries, theatre performances and book readings—along with physical activities, such as sports.

Volunteerism helps a community flourish, they said, with opportunities for engagement providing a sense of common purpose and an easy way to meet people. Organizations like the Delaware Valley Arts Alliance, local churches and service organizations were mentioned, as were opportunities like serving on a cultural committee celebrating America’s bicentennial.

The flood of 2006 and the tornado of 2018 brought a sense of community through shared adversity, some said.

It’s important to make friends as you age, said participants, and it’s important to reach out to neighbors for connections. Important, too, are familial connections, close and extended. And a small thing that makes a community: neighbors being friendly with each other in casual everyday interactions.

What does a community need?

After defining what made a community, participants set about answering another question: what things did people of retirement age need to live in a healthy and liveable rural community?

Participants identified a multitude of needs. Social lunches build community, a better knowledge of the area’s history builds community, and resources such as transportation, senior centers and emergency responders build community.

While attendees wanted resources to assist with their lives, they also wanted ways they could help their neighbors and fellow community members. They suggested a system like the Upper Delaware Community Network or Growing Older Together, where they could volunteer their time for others. Other ideas included a community notice board, with information about what’s going on in the community, and mechanisms for them to band together and exert governmental influence.

The cost of living came up as a concern tied to gentrification. Too many businesses are unaffordable, or don’t cater to people’s basic needs, said participants. One person suggested compiling a list of businesses that provide discounts to seniors.

Participants discussed what they would look for in housing, and referenced the need for housing close to services, so seniors could live in their own homes while having access to a communal space for socialization.

And every group identified health care as a primary concern. Health care services are far from where people live, and accessing those services requires navigating a complicated web of technology and unclear information. Better transportation to health care or better at-home health care options could help, as could forums with information about care, or interpreters that would help seniors navigate online health care portals.

What happens next?

Members of Growing Older Together and staff from the Office For the Aging took notice of the recommendations made and the issues discussed during the groups; the information from the discussion can inform the services these groups provide.

“Let’s Talk: Seniors” is the second forum the River Reporter has held; the River Reporter partnered with the Tusten Youth Committee to hold a youth-centric forum in July. These forums belong to the River Roundtable Project, a new initiative the River Reporter is launching to encourage community and facilitate difficult conversations in the Upper Delaware River Valley.

Let's Talk: Seniors, Growing Older Together, Sullivan County Office For the Aging, River Reporter, River Roundtable Project, seniors, cost of living

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