Resources

After many years working as a Senior Center Director I choose to start my business as a way to help the community learn about Senior Centers and the services and resources available to seniors and their families. And boy, I’ve learned a lot since I started SeniorCenterCt.org.

This idea for SeniorCenterCt.org developed from area Senior Center Directors exploring how they would change and evolve to accommodate the soon to arrive baby boomers. We talked with Maria Miranda of Miranda Creative and the foundation for a collaborative 9 town senior center website was born.

From that point to now the learning curve has been huge. I’m proud to say that SeniorCenterCt.org and I continue to grow every day. Maria continues to be my mentor along with Debra Jane, my finance wizard and many others have become my sounding boards.

And then I was fortunate enough for Arlene to become my mentor through SCORE. A retired marketing and strategic planning expert Arlene readily pitches in and is guiding me with the marketing and branding of SeniorCenterCt.org.

We always need to remember we don’t travel our journey alone and in order to meet Arlene I needed to discover SCORE.

SCORE is a wonderful free resource that has the nation’s largest network of volunteer business mentors. There are over 10,000 expert volunteers in 300 chapters.

In 2018, SCORE mentors helped start 32,387 businesses and create 135,687 jobs.

SCORE is a resource partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration and is there to help you achieve your dream as a small business owner. They are there every step of the way to teach and guide you as you grow.

When you go to the SCORE website you can choose “find a mentor”, “take a workshop” or “browse the library”. You can find the SCORE location nearest to you. You can become a volunteer. You can see the impact SCORE makes.

Explore this website. View a webinar. Read an article. Learn how to use your stats and data to drive growth. Take a Workshop.

There are even podcasts you can listen to as you drive to your next appointment.

And yes, everything SCORE does truly is free.

Score will always be there for you to access. Let them help you grow personally and professionally as your business evolves and thrives.

As SCORE says, “The next success could be yours!”

Who are they referring to when they mention those words elders, oldster, Senior Citizen, old timer, elderly…

Is it you they’re talking about, ME??? Or are they referring to themselves….

You know I’m not sure anymore because I’m also hearing boomers, GEN X, retirees, and then “Active Ager”

Now I’m liking that term – Active Ager. You know it really does kinda fit doesn’t it…

When you think about your parents, grandparents and perhaps a great grandparent and then yourself – you can see that at certain points each generation is very different at say 40, 60 and now 80.

For example, it is becoming quite popular to be a new parent at 40 while 2 generations ago the majority become grandparents at 40.

So, you see each generation is indeed younger than the generations before them.

Social Security picked age 65 for retirement because for most people that is about when life ended. If they were to pick an age now it most likely would be in the neighborhood of 75 or 80.

And if we are living well into our 80’s, 90’s and even into 100 we need to live that life actively!!

Thus “Active Ager” Look around. Set goals. Start a whole new life to be lived fully. Start a new career! Pick one that’s fun. Something you couldn’t do all those years ago.

It’s never too late!    It’s never too late to live!

We look around in today’s world and often notice we are looking down at a devise rather than at each other. It wasn’t long ago if you were waiting for your appointment, your turn to check out or for the movie to start that people were actually talking to each other.

The chatting might have been about the wait, the weather or other insignificant things but we were engaging with each other.

We humans are social animals. We fail to thrive as babies if we are not held, talked to and loved by others. The same holds true throughout our lives. We don’t want to be by ourselves 100% of the time. Oh, we like our alone time but soon find we want to be out and with others.

Often the problem arises in today’s world of how do we make new friends? How do we gather?

We have our routines where we go to family for the holidays. Off to this friend for Fourth of July. We belong to this club and volunteer over there.

Then time passes. We have moved. They have moved. There was a spat. The club or volunteer work is no longer rewarding. Friends and family have died.

We are more alone than we want to be… And it’s hard.

It has become harder to make new friends. Where do you find them? How do you start?

You could start by making a list of your friends and add to that list people you know who you would like to get to know better.

Now think about the things you like to do or want to do. Try to pair up those things and those people on your list.

When you think it might work, invite them to join you on that yard sale adventure or to go to the museum or how about the Farmer’s Market.

You won’t get a yes, every time but keep trying. Don’t give up. Try, try again.

And just try saying Hi to everyone you encounter during your week. Be the person you are looking for. Yes, I know it’s hard, but they are looking for friends too.

And remember SeniorCenterCt.org is there to help you find those activities, events and trips to ask others to join you in.

Set a goal. Make two new friends this year and do three things you have never done before. And that can lead to a fuller and more engaging life!

MONDAY NIGHT BOOK READ :
Younger Next Year: Live Strong, Fit, and Sexy – Until You’re 80 and Beyond By Chris Crowley and Henry S. Lodge

Need a little extra motivation for your New Year’s resolution to get into shape? Join our book read, for inspiration, learning and support!

Beginning Monday, January 14th 
Monday night at 5 p.m. —6 p.m.
Moderator: Monica Bengtson

Call 860-441-6785 to sign or get more details.

The book that show us how to turn back our biological clocks—how to put off 70% of the normal problems of aging (weakness, sore joints, bad balance) and eliminate 50% of serious illness and injury.

Be ACTIVE with us!

https://www.ourseniorcenter.com/find/groton-senior-center/bulletin/file/06-5014-20190101N.pdf#