Jean Saunders and Ellen Ceppetelli admit they could talk forever. And they have a lot to talk about – not only their work as retired nursing administrators with graduate degrees in public health, but also strategies to improve life for all generations.
Saunders, of Saco, has worked with Ceppetelli on a MaineCF grant-funded initiative that pairs older adult fellows with other volunteers to improve their communities. Ceppetelli, of Eliot, leads her town’s Aging-in-Place Committee that has tapped Saunders’ experience as program coordinator at Age Friendly Saco.
And both, in these unprecedented times of video chats and social distancing, have learned anew how much people working together can accomplish in a very short time.
The University of Maine’s Center on Aging launched the pilot Lifelong Communities Fellows Program last year with support from AARP and the Tri-State Learning Collaborative on Aging. Six communities, which include Vinalhaven Island and Knox County, have spent months assessing what matters most to their residents.
Eliot selectmen established Ceppetelli’s committee to assess the needs of older people and the community’s strengths. But the volunteers soon realized, “Wait a minute – it’s regardless of age,” says Ceppetelli. “You want to be in a community that’s more livable.” A place where all people will stay healthy, socialize, and be involved in decisions.
Saunders had discovered the same thing in her city as Age Friendly Saco took root in 2016: Millennials sought the same things as older residents, and vice versa. “They want a walkable downtown; they want access to public transportation,” she says. “Being age-friendly means friendly for all ages.”
This spring, the strengths and needs of Eliot and Saco emerged as residents rallied to face the novel coronavirus crisis. Food insecurity topped the list. In Eliot, readying to kick off its volunteer engagement, a new “Eliot Strong” Facebook page in just a few days drew 1,200 members from the community of just over 6,000. They were ready to do whatever it took to keep their neighbors safe – face masks, rides, food from a CSA, donations to the food pantry.
“It’s a totally wonderful reflection of what we saw in our community survey and our interviews,” says Ceppetelli. “The Eliot Strong response reaffirmed to me that the people of this community are just waiting to be able to do things for each other.”
Saco residents were equally enthusiastic volunteers. Age Friendly Saco and its growing list of partners provided volunteer orientation, compiled a pandemic resource guide, arranged fundraisers so local restaurants could make dinners, delivered food, and created a database of 2,200 people age 70 or older for wellness checks.
“It’s exciting,” says Saunders. “We have a whole new cast of characters involved now. People are at home; people would like a sense of purpose. We are stronger. And we will be stronger coming out of this as well.”
Eliot’s lifelong communities work continues, pandemic or not. This month, voters will consider property tax relief for older residents, a proposal the select board approved after residents told Ceppetelli and her committee that taxes were their top concern. While Eliot is in the state’s top five communities for median income, 24 percent of its residents are 60-plus. Ceppetelli says people are leaving town because they can’t afford their taxes.
“If you want to age in place in Eliot and you can’t pay your taxes, you’re not going to be in Eliot as you age,” she says. She credits Saunders for the ballot question: “She fast-tracked us. We were able to follow a very strict timeline.”
Saunders says that’s the strength of lifelong communities: “Not every community that tries to start out should have to reinvent the wheel. We have lots of tools that we should be sharing.”
Wise words from an outgoing fellow to someone who will follow her footsteps: Ceppetelli now has her sights set on sharing what she learned in Eliot – this time as a fellow for another community.
Meet the Fellows
The Lifelong Communities Fellows Program provided experienced community leaders training and support to assist other communities in learning what residents need and want as they age. The initiative is part of MaineCF’s strategic work to ensure older people are valued and able to thrive and age in their workplaces and communities.
Knox County: Anne Schroth of Blue Hill worked with a Knox County group to develop a strong lifelong community team, increase engagement by municipal partners, and draft a survey of residents.
Eliot: Jean Saunders of Saco helped develop a tax-relief proposal for older adults.
Vinalhaven: Allen Cressy of Topsham and an island team created a list of local and regional supports for older residents, developed and analyzed a needs survey, and built a coalition of organizations to implement identified changes.
Surry: Candy Eaton of Sullivan assisted with community asset mapping, interpreting survey findings, and organizing a community-wide event, Surry Connects.
Bangor: Karen Campbell of Bangor spearheaded the fundraising effort for a new senior center.
Danforth: Karen Campbell also helped Danforth host two focus groups, work on their community assessment, and plan a home repair project
Photo: The Aging-in-Place Committee in Eliot recommended tax relief for older residents as a way to improve the quality of life.
