Document Type
Research Report
Publication Date
2018
Keywords
Watertown, Massachusetts, older adults, senior residents, community needs, social services, transportation, nutrition
Disciplines
Gerontology | Public Policy | Social Welfare
Abstract
Watertown for All Ages is a group of residents working to improve the livability of Watertown for residents of all ages and abilities. They work closely with the Watertown Council on Aging/Senior Center. The Watertown Council on Aging/Senior Center provides a variety of social, health, educational, recreational, advocacy, and support programs designed to help Watertown’s older adults age well in the community. Services provided to seniors living in the community range from transportation support to nutrition services and social services, along with a range of programs and activities meant to enhance well-being and quality of life. Similar to many Councils on Aging, the Watertown COA also provides leadership in the community, as the community as a whole addresses the growing number and changing needs of senior residents.
As a means of learning more about community concerns and values relating to aging in place, the Watertown Senior Center arranged a public forum to be held at the Watertown Free Public Library in cooperation with the resident-led community organization Watertown for All Ages. This event was held on November 30th, 2017 at 6:30PM. The forum was moderated by Caitlin Coyle, PhD, from the Gerontology Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston. Claire Wickersham, a doctoral student in Gerontology at UMass Boston, served as note-taker. The purpose of these forums was to introduce the community to the age-friendly community framework, as outlined by the World Health Organization; to present selected demographic features of Watertown relevant to planning for an age-friendly future; and to elicit input from the community about Watertown as a community in which to age in place. The purpose of this document is to report on each of these elements of the forums.
Community Engaged/Serving
Part of the UMass Boston Community-Engaged Teaching, Research, and Service Series. //scholarworks.umb.edu/engage
Recommended Citation
Coyle, Caitlin, "Envisioning a Watertown for All Ages" (2018). Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications. 35.
https://scholarworks.umb.edu/demographyofaging/35
Comments
Support for this project provided by AARP Massachusetts