California's Aging Opportunity
Recommendation V. Provide Life Stage Transition Options
The Challenge
- Need for new institutions or initiatives: Although communities need the time and talent of older adults, they are not clear pathways for them to connect with these needs. Some communities are beginning to transform existing institutions or create new ones to focus on this population segment and its potential to help fill community needs.
- New ways to partner for existing institutions: Despite the limited number of institutions that are focused on helping older adults with life planning decisions and transitions to service and volunteer roles, there are many organizations that do provide related services and could partner in new ways to meet the changing face of aging. These include volunteer centers and RSVP, community colleges and other institutes of higher education, libraries, senior centers, Area Agencies on Aging, other aging and social services organizations, health care institutions, businesses, chambers of commerce, city and county agencies, community-based and faith-based organizations, as well as many others.
Taking Action
Encourage the development of life options centers through local partnerships: The state could develop state policies and programs that would encourage the development of new or re-tooled institutions to provide connections for older adults who are interested in service and volunteering. The following resources provide guidance for this idea:
- Civic Ventures' 2005 report, Blueprint for The Next Chapter, is designed to help guide the development of life options initiatives called "The Next Chapter." The blueprint identifies the core and optional elements of The Next Chapter and provides practical ideas for planning and developing these elements.
- Two other publications from Civic Ventures - Life Planning for the 3rd Age: A Design and Resource Guide and The Life Planning Toolkit, are both designed to provide ideas and resources for professionals who are creating life planning curricula.
Incorporate service transition planning into state retirement planning services. Many retiring state employees are interested in volunteering in their retirement. Pre-retirement services could be expanded to help them learn about, and make the transition to, a wide variety of service opportunities.