<p>The coalition of more than 70 volunteers and 37 organizations, will launch a major survey of Island seniors next week in an effort to refine its mission.
The Healthy Aging Task Force, a coalition of more than 70 volunteers and 37 organizations, will launch a major survey of Island seniors next week in an effort to refine its mission.
Island residents over 65 will receive large white envelopes in the mail, each containing one survey. Task force co-chairman Paddy Moore said the survey takes about 20 minutes to complete and can also be filled out online.
Task force members have fanned out across the Island, appearing at selectmen's meetings, churches and other places to encourage people to complete the survey. All six boards of selectmen on the Island have endorsed the survey.
In Chilmark on Tuesday, selectman Jonathan Mayhew, who serves on the task force committee, called it an “opportunity to improve your quality of life as you age on the Vineyard.”
The Island’s senior population is expected to more than double in 15 years, and to almost triple by 2060, with more than half the population expected to be caregivers. One goal of the survey, which will go to every senior residence on the Island (excluding summer visitors) is to make sure that people over 80 are taken into account.
“It’s a mid-course correction, if you will, to make sure we are on the right track,” said task force committee member Juliette Fay, who also heads Martha’s Vineyard Community Services.
The 50 questions relate to housing, employment, transportation, community resources and other topics that affect seniors and caregivers. Researchers at Brandeis University will help to administer and analyze the survey, although the task force will own the results.
Among other things, Mrs. Moore hoped to explore the issue of long-term care, which she said is so complex and far-reaching that many people simply ignore it. “I don’t know how it’s going to turn out because it’s not how people have been thinking,” she said.
Ms. Fay believed the Islandwide support this year for a new building for the Center for Living, formerly the Island Council on Aging, had brought more focus to the issues facing Island seniors and caregivers.
“It’s time for Islanders to take care of each other,” she said. “That’s how we have to think about it.”
The healthy aging survey may be returned via mail, or filled out online at cyc.brandeis.edu/healthyaging.html.
Comments
I think that it might be wise
tony lombardi edgartownI think that it might be wise to change the age limit on the survey. Since it is projecting an increase over the next 15 year I would think that those who will enter the 65+ population during that time ( me included) may want to offer input since results will have a direct impact on us as well. Just a suggestion. Thanks
Good question Tony. We
Peter Temple Healthy Aging Task ForceGood question Tony. We thought the same thing at first when designing the survey, but the pros who research elders say that most people don’t really know what they’ll do or what their specific needs will be 10 or 15 years from now, so instead we identify and address what today’s elders need now, and prepare to increase those services as the population grows. They also say that many people’s perspective’s change as they start to deal with the realities of Social Security, Medicare, retirement/fixed income and the ongoing wear and tear of age on one’s body. That’s why we are focusing on those who are using (or will soon need) the services the COA’s, Island Elderly Housing, the LIFT and many other organizations offer Island elders.
Thanks Peter- Although I see
Tony Lombardi EdgartownThanks Peter- Although I see their thinking - I still believe that there are many in the approaching generation who may have input that those over 65 may not consider and that input from those approaching the age would be valuable information I still encourage reconsideration of this as a true marker of what the project population increase would need/want. Limiting thought to only increasing what exists rather than opening up to new ideas that would not necessarily be consider by those over 65 means that new potential will not be considered from our point of view. However, if they have decided this is how they will go then of course my comment is moot. People age 65+ are well into facing Soc Sec etc - those of use not there yet are the ones who will have to face our perspective on the realities of what those sources look like when we reach that age (for me in just over 5 years for example) Thanks again for your efforts. One example it the impact technology will have on our population who are closer in age to the digital age than those older. We see this in our outreach to elders currently and their realization that tech services will become more paramount is a new concept for them where many of my generation are more attuned to these concepts already.
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