Age-Friendly Sullivan

Please join Age-Friendly Sullivan on the first Wednesday of every month 9a-10am in the Town Office for project updates and guest speakers —  all are welcome!  Social opportunity begins at 8:30am prior to meeting.

Age-Friendly Sullivan vision:  “A compassionate community of neighbors supporting / welcoming young and aging residents to thrive in a diverse and sustainable Sullivan.” adopted August 1st, 2018

Age-Friendly Sullivan and Frenchman’s Bay Library have partnered to bring you educational information, websites, books, videos and activities to support you, your family and our communities with information to support brain health.  Please like and share the FaceBook page “Dementia Inclusion Downeast”, or visit our webpage of the same name on this website.

  2023 League of Women Voters:  Local Guide to Government

Sullivan Age Friendly Guide FINAL  Open to see our 2022 Updated Age-Friendly Resource Guide for Sullivan — we are excited to share this info!!!  

ACTIVITIES  & RESOURCES:  

❤️  Bone Builders is a free exercise program designed to prevent & reverse osteoporosis, every Tuesday & Thursday (excluding holidays & snow days) at 10:0am, at the Sullivan Town Office.  Contact Maine Center on Aging RSVP program at 207-262-7926 FMI and application form along with medical clearance form to be completed by your PCP.

❤️  Make new friends and improve your heart-health by Walking Outdoors at the Sullivan Recreation Center, every Monday at 5pm, Tuesday & Thursday at 1pm.  FREE

🌸  COMMUNITY GARDEN is located at the Town Office.  Shared produce will be available through the “Take It or Leave It” table for those in need. 🥦🍅🥬🥒🌶️🫑🥕🧄🧅🥔🍎

📙  Handbook  Maine Legal Services for the Elderly – Elder Rights Handbook

Resources for staying safe at HOME

NEW  HomeFit Guide  Smart ways to make a home comfortable, safe and a great fit for older adults — and people of all ages.

AARP Here To Stay Toolkit  AARP Foundation presents this 80 page Toolkit “Here to Stay: Home Upkeep for All” on how to keep your home safe, affordable & healthy of a lifetime.

Making Room   Housing for a Changing America

 
Age-Friendly Sullivan in the NEWS:

News and Updates

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Maine wants to improve community services that support older adults and their family caregivers. If you are an adult who is 55 years or older or a family caregiver of an older adult, Maine’s Office of Aging and Disability Services wants to hear from you.

The Maine Aging Study being conducted by the Muskie School of Public Service at the University of Southern Maine (USM) on behalf of Maine’s Office of Aging and Disability Services will consist of a statewide survey for older adults, a survey for family caregivers, focus groups, key informant interviews, and listening sessions. Topics being addressed throughout this study include healthcare, food/nutrition,
housing, transportation, receiving and giving care, safety, and socialization.

A total of five (5) virtual Listening Sessions will be conducted to gather input from community members across the state. The selected dates are:

• Residents of Hancock, Piscataquis, Penobscot, and Washington Counties are encouraged to participate on: September 25, 2023, from 10:00am to Noon

• Residents of Aroostook County are encouraged to participate on:
September 28, 2023, from 9:00am to 11:00am

• Residents of Androscoggin, Franklin, and Oxford Counties are encouraged to participate on:
October 4, 2023, from 11:00am to 1:00pm

• Residents of Cumberland and York Counties are encouraged to participate on:
October 4, 2023, from 2:00pm to 4:00pm

• Residents of Kennebec, Knox, Lincoln, Sagadahoc, Somerset, and Waldo Counties are encouraged to participate on:
October 12, 2023, from 10:00am to Noon

You can attend the Listening Session that best fits your schedule, even if that means attending one with residents of other counites. Information collected will be used to inform the development of the next Maine State Plan on Aging that
outlines goals, objectives, strategies, and performance measures for Older Americans Act funded aging
services and programs.

Please contact James Moorhead, Healthy Aging Services Manager, Office of Aging and Disability Services at 207-287-9200 or James.Moorhead@maine.gov for any of the following:

• To register for any of these Listening Sessions, please include your email address and indicate which Listening Session you would like to attend to receive login information.
• To request accommodation, such as real-time transcription and captioning (CART), American Sign Language (ASL), or other language interpretation, please notify us two weeks prior to your selected session.
• If you have any questions about the Maine Aging Study.
... See MoreSee Less

Maine wants to improve community services that support older adults and their family caregivers. If you are an adult who is 55 years or older or a family caregiver of an older adult, Maine’s Office of Aging and Disability Services wants to hear from you.

The Maine Aging Study being conducted by the Muskie School of Public Service at the University of Southern Maine (USM) on behalf of Maine’s Office of Aging and Disability Services will consist of a statewide survey for older adults, a survey for family caregivers, focus groups, key informant interviews, and listening sessions. Topics being addressed throughout this study include healthcare, food/nutrition,
housing, transportation, receiving and giving care, safety, and socialization.

A total of five (5) virtual Listening Sessions will be conducted to gather input from community members across the state. The selected dates are:

• Residents of Hancock, Piscataquis, Penobscot, and Washington Counties are encouraged to participate on: September 25, 2023, from 10:00am to Noon

• Residents of Aroostook County are encouraged to participate on:
September 28, 2023, from 9:00am to 11:00am

• Residents of Androscoggin, Franklin, and Oxford Counties are encouraged to participate on:
October 4, 2023, from 11:00am to 1:00pm

• Residents of Cumberland and York Counties are encouraged to participate on:
October 4, 2023, from 2:00pm to 4:00pm

• Residents of Kennebec, Knox, Lincoln, Sagadahoc, Somerset, and Waldo Counties are encouraged to participate on:
October 12, 2023, from 10:00am to Noon

You can attend the Listening Session that best fits your schedule, even if that means attending one with residents of other counites. Information collected will be used to inform the development of the next Maine State Plan on Aging that
outlines goals, objectives, strategies, and performance measures for Older Americans Act funded aging
services and programs.

Please contact James Moorhead, Healthy Aging Services Manager, Office of Aging and Disability Services at 207-287-9200 or James.Moorhead@maine.gov for any of the following:

• To register for any of these Listening Sessions, please include your email address and indicate which Listening Session you would like to attend to receive login information.
• To request accommodation, such as real-time transcription and captioning (CART), American Sign Language (ASL), or other language interpretation, please notify us two weeks prior to your selected session.
• If you have any questions about the Maine Aging Study.
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Minutes and Meeting notes:

 

 

WHY Sullivan joined the AARP Network of Age-Friendly Communities?

Between 2000 and 2010, the US Census reports that Sullivan’s population increased by 4.3%, yet our population of residents 65 or older increased by 12.2%.  In those 10 years, our median age went from 38.4 years old to 44.7 years old, an increase of 6.3 years!  In 2010, our seniors comprised 14.1% of Sullivan’s population.  It is projected that seniors will be 25% of our community by the year 2025.  How can we keep them safely thriving at home?

The purpose of the AARP Age-Friendly Communities is to serve as a catalyst to educate, encourage, promote, and recognize improvements that will make Sullivan more supportive not only of our older residents, but for residents of all ages.  The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified eight domains as influencing the health and quality of life of older adults (see details below).

The 8 Domains of Creating a Livable Community for all ages

  1. Outdoor spaces and buildings:  Outdoor spaces, such as parks and buildings affect the independence and quality of life of residents of all ages, but especially older adults.  Some Maine communities have made parks more accessible by increasing the width of paths and adding benches.  Others have increased the number of designated parking spaces near key services and added accessible features to municipally-owned buildings.
  2. Transportation:  Affordable and accessible public and volunteer transportation programs is key to aging in place safely and independently.  Some communities have created transportation resource guides that include information about public and private options.  Others have created volunteer programs that provide rides to where people need to go and may offer help with, for example, shopping or getting in and out of a building.
  3. Housing:  Safe and affordable housing promotes well-being and is key to older residents being able to age comfortably and safely in the house and community of their choice.  Communities can make regulatory changes to encourage additional housing options or to help create new housing.  Some initiatives have started their own “Handy Brigade”, others have partnered with existing services to increase awareness of home modification and home maintenance services.
  4. Social participation:  Socializing with friends and neighbors who don’t live in the same home as you is connected to physical and cognitive health.  Many communities have started a “senior” center or added to the opportunities available.  Others have partnered with local organizations such as lifelong learning programs, an art center, or a library to increase programming for adults.
  5. Respect and social inclusion:  A lack of contact between generations and lack of knowledge about aging are two reasons why stereotypes that exclude older people from full participation in the community continue.  Aging adults who feel welcomed and respected for their contribution are more likely to remain actively engaged in economic, social, and civic life than those who do not feel included.
  6. Civic participation and employment:  Older people do not stop contributing to their communities when they turn 65 or 85 or 105. An age-friendly community provides opportunities for residents who want to or need to work past traditional retirement age and encourages people of all ages to volunteer and participate in the political process.
  7. Communication and information:  Staying connected with activities, resources, and people is key to optimal aging.  Some communities have created information portals on their town website to increase access to information about local activities and resources making them easy to find.  Other communities have created resource manuals.
  8. Community support and health services:  Access to health care and services to support aging in place is key for the health and well-being of older residents.  Some communities have emphasized food security in this area.  Others have looked at elder abuse prevention or added disaster preparedness.

WHO checklist  Checklist of Essential Features of Age-friendly features is a tool for a community’s self-assessment and a map for charting progress.  In assessing a city’s strengths and deficiencies, older people will describe how their checklist of features matches their own experience of positive characteristics and barriers.  They should play a role in suggesting changes in implementing and monitoring improvements.

STEP 1:  ENTERING THE NETWORK:  We have been accepted!  Sullivan is the 46th community in Maine, and the 204th community in the United States to join the Network of Age-Friendly Communities!

  1. Certificate #204  Age-Friendly Sullivan Enrollment Certificate of membership through 2020
  2. Welcome Letter AARP Network of Age Friendly Communities Welcome Letter
  3. AFS AARP Maine Benefits  Single page summary of membership benefits

STEP 2:  PLANNING PHASE (years 1-2)

  1. A baseline assessment of the age-friendliness of Sullivan:  2018 Survey summary
  2. Development of a 3-year community-wide plan of action based on assessment findings:  AFS Action Plan 2020

STEP 3:  IMPLEMENTATION & EVALUATION (years 3-5):  On completion of the planning phase, and no later than two years after joining the AARP Network, Sullivan will submit our action plan to WHO for review and endorsement.  Upon endorsement by WHO, cities will then have a three-year period of implementation.  At the end of the period of implementation, Sullivan will be required to submit a progress report to WHO outlining progress against indicators developed in our Action Plan:  Age-Friendly Sullivan 5 year progress report 2023

 

Photo credits, this page. Bottom photo: © Paul Breeden;  All Rights Reserved.