Wowza, I can’t believe it’s been 4 months since I happily joined the SLO Village family as Executive Director!  I’ve so enjoyed meeting many of you, and look forward to engaging soon with each of our members.  Please know that I’d love to hear from you with any questions or suggestions to better SLO Village.

I really do feel like us older folks are finally having our moment in the sun! We’re being discussed, researched, sought out, considered and valued by private and public sectors to assist in determining how best to activate Healthy Aging.

One such study is a fascinating documentary by Dan Buettner, ‘The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who’ve Lived the Longest’. https://www.bluezones.com/books/

Buettner is a National Geographic Explorer who has traveled the globe to uncover best strategies for longevity found in the Blue Zones: places in the world where higher percentages of people enjoy remarkably long, full lives.  By observing their lifestyles, Buettner's teams have identified critical everyday choices that correspond with the cutting edge of longevity research and distilled them into a few simple but powerful habits that anyone can embrace.

I’m encouraged and excited to further enhance our SLO Village community and believe that SLO County has all the makings to become a Blue Zone.  Let’s do it!

 Coming up! On July 17, SLO Village has been selected as a group to have a listening session about the Master Plan of Aging. We ask that you invite your friends for a robust conversation on how to help make healthy changes to how we age in California. This is the time to advocate and be heard. 
 
Michael Butler of HMA (Health Management Associates) will conduct the listening session.  He has directed hundreds of program evaluations, organizational development, and technical assistance projects in a wide array of areas including public education, college and career readiness, community health and wellness services, and workforce development. His work is centered on accelerating equity and demonstrating measurable impact in the social sector.

Please RSVP to this listening session by clicking here or calling the office at 805.242.6440. 

Lately, I have been writing poetry to express my thoughts and feelings. So here is a little poem about my thoughts lately about aging, community, and SLO Village. 

Aging can be an uncomfortable thing. 
Your joints may tell you about it
Or, your eyesight. 
Maybe that misstep of feeling off balanced. 

Aging can be an isolating thing. 
Your home may be quieter, 
Or, your phone rings a little less. 
Maybe another friend has moved away...

Aging can be an empowering thing. 
You find connections from unlikely friends. 
Or, maybe it's time for change. 
A new community to bloom in.
Written by C. Canaan

Villages are designed to help people age in their communities with greater social connection and better mental and physical health. Yet research on how villages promote healthy aging is in its early stages. How can we evaluate the impact of villages? What kind of data and partnerships do we need? How can research help recognize villages as a platform for health and well-being?

A new report, “Developing Research Capacity for Healthy Aging with Villages” begins to address these questions. The report was created by Rutgers School of Social Work in partnership with Village to Village Network and RAND. Researchers present findings from a series of focus groups conducted with nearly 50 village members, officers, and professionals across the United States—including several Californian villages.

Some of the major themes that emerged were: We are committed to the inclusion of our state’s diverse communities into our villages. This commitment led to a collaboration between Kate Hoepke, Executive Director of San Francisco Village, Felisia Thibodeaux, Executive Director of Southwest Community Corporation, and Carlene Davis, founder of Sistahs Aging with Grace and Elegance (SAGE). With funding from SCAN Health Plan, they launched a pilot program “Connecting Across Communities”.

 • A strong desire to reframe aging away from a focus on negative decline to a view that emphasizes healthy aging including being better prepared for changes associated with increasing age. 
• Villages are perceived to support healthy aging in many ways, with social connectedness and preventive health services as dominant themes.
 • Village members viewed healthy aging as highly dependent on the health care infrastructure, highlighting a need for villages to support connections between members and the health care system.

To read more about this study, go to https://www.villagesresearch.org/

Join us for a SLO Village Coffee Chat where you’ll be greeted with freshly brewed coffee, delicious confections and the happy hum of conversation between SLO Village volunteers and members. As a community, we gather every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month from 10 am – 11:15 am at UCC SLO, 11245 Los Osos Valley Road, SLO 93405. 

Coffee Chat Bonus: Engaging speakers presenting timely information and resources. Over the past 6 months

Our coffee chats are open to individuals who are interested in joining SLO Village community organization. Add me to the Event Mailing List

A huge thank you to all who participated in the SLO Village fundraising effort for the SLO Rep dress rehearsal production of 9 to 5!  It was an amazing evening, and the house was packed!  We sold out and resold tickets … your generosity makes such a difference in furthering the SLO Village cause, and  in the lives of older adults in our community. 

 A special thank you to the SLO Rep team, and to Bette Kulp, Sally Kruger and their event committee for making the event a smashing success!

SAN LUIS OBISPO REGIONAL TRANSIT AUTHORITY (RTA)
At our recent coffee chat, Paige Anderson, Rideshare Program Coordinator with SLOCOG, informed our members/volunteers that the RTA offers a VIP Senior Gold Pass for individuals age 80 and over to ride for free.  There’s an application process for this program. Contact Paige Anderson at ‪(805) 597-8022 to learn more about pass and how you can apply!

Village Network of Petaluma is a non-profit membership organization of active older adults 50+ in the Petaluma-Penngrove area. Members and volunteers offer each other support services and social connections to improve quality of life and expand choices. They collaborate with other organizations to build a more age-friendly Petaluma.

If this sounds familiar it is because SLO Village and Village Network of Petaluma are part of the Village Movement and members of Village Movement California and the national Village to Village Network. There are over 300 Villages in the US and over 50 in California. Although independant, these Villages share the same goal of building communities where older adults can help one another stay connected to their community and thrive