Awareness, advocacy and action in our lives
A few weeks ago, as I was writing the Dear Geezer column prior to the Geezer Forum on Oct. 11, I was newly aware of a pattern in my writing and in my Elder Advocates work. I’m calling this pattern awareness, advocacy and action.
For the eleven years that Elder Advocates has been functioning, I have tried, in so many ways, to encourage people to be aware, be advocates and take action:
1) Become aware of the resources and people in our area who can assist you in dealing with aging issues; 2) become advocates for yourselves and others when working with those resource people; 3) Take some kind of positive action for yourselves and/or others.
When I began hosting the Geezer Forum in January 2012, I brought my version of AAA to the way the forum has been..well, formed.
We’ve tried consistently to inform persons of the increasingly wide variety of services and people available to them. Awareness of services means we all have a better chance of making smarter, healthier decisions for ourselves or for those we love.
When we are more aware, we have more confidence to advocate on behalf of those we love, or ourselves. With new knowledge, we can focus our attention on encouraging others to live healthier, even happier lives.
Advocacy is, I believe, a form of action that we are all capable of. But there are other types of actions open to older adults as well. Knowing we can take some kind of action, any kind of action, on behalf of others or ourselves, reminds us of an important truth:
Regardless of our age, we can still make a difference in other people’s lives. That difference-making also means we matter. We always have the potential for a meaningful life!
Next, Tuesday, at the Geezer Forum, I believe there is an opportunity to embrace AAA (Aware-ness, Advocacy, Action). We will learn more about a community resource that too many of us may take for granted: The Bonner County Library. The forum is called “Books, But Much More”.
Our resource persons at the Forum will be 1) Marcy Timblin will share an update on the exciting Library Expansion that will happen soon;
2) Suzanne Davis, Children’s Services Librarian, will focus on how her department will benefit from the expansion, and I think will encourage grandparent-types to engage with the many children who use the library;
3) Gloria Ray, will give an overview of the expanded library services that certainly include books but also look at online and digital services, tutoring services for all ages, and who-knows-what-else.
We will gather next Tuesday, November 8, 2:30-4:00, at Columbia Bank’s Community Room in Sandpoint. November 8 is also Election Day, so I hope you will plan to vote either before the Geezer Forum, or go directly to vote after attending Geezer Forum.
Paul R. Graves, M.Div, is Lead Geezer-in-Training of Elder Advocates, a consulting ministry on aging issues. Contact Paul at 208-610-4971 or elderadvocates@nctv.com.