Chat Transcript - Building Great Programs for Seniors
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The document provides suggestions for programming and outreach for seniors at libraries. Some key points include: - Consistency in programming helps seniors know when events are scheduled. Fridays in the afternoon are popular. - Outreach through senior living facilities, meal delivery programs, and local organizations helps spread information. - Popular programs include movies, book clubs, crafts like coloring and knitting, technology classes, exercise like chair yoga, and informational sessions on benefits and estate planning. - Reaching homebound seniors through delivery services and mobile outreach visits retirement communities.
Chat Transcript - Building Great Programs for Seniors
- 1. Chat Transcript:BuildingGreatProgramsforSeniors MarketingSeniorProgramsandBestTimes • We advertise all of ourpretinent programswiththe local senior'sassociationandtheypass the infoalongto all of the senior'shomes/interestedpartiesinthe area • Our senior'steaisalwaysona fridayafternoon. • consistencyhelps - if theyknow thatwe alwayshave thingsonthe firstMonday,theycome • nightdependsonthe age of the adults50-60 are still workingsotheydrive atnight. 60-70 mostare retiredsocan come duringthe day. • we do lobbystopsinseniorlivingfacilitiessortof like apop uplibraryidea: if there isa popularprogramday at the local seniorcenterwe goand take our flyers,orinfoanda varietyof materialstodisplayona table we take a udedmovingtruckand put 7 librarycarts init -strappeddown- andunloadthemata centerand the patrons can choose theirown items we checkout vialaptopwitha mobile hotspotorpaperwhenthe wifi wontwork:) • I occasionallydropoff flyersatthe local seniorcenteralso. • We make remindercalls1-2 days before all programstoremindpatronsof the programs theyregisteredfor. • You couldhave youroutreach people (whomaybegotothe retirementcenters,etc) totake flyersforthese programs,etc. Alsocheckwithgovernmenthousing - theyshouldhave lists of seniorsinthose areasandtake flyersoutthere as well. • We contact our local unitedway- mealsonwheelsprogramtopassout flyersaboutour homeboundserviceaswell asgivingflyerstolocal travelingnursesthatsee people inrehab or seniorlivingcenters- theyalwayslookforfree optionsfortheirclients.We diditonce last yearand our homebounddeptadded65poeple in3 months! • Church bulletinsare agreat place to putthings • our seniorsreadthe local papercommunityeventscalendar.it'sfree forusto advertise inthere. • Good programtime is10 and2 for us • Sendthe informationtoyourlocal radio! Outreach: • We have a deliveryservice forseniorswhoare nolongercapable of gettingtothe library - (thoroughlyvetted) volunteersdeliverandspendtime visiting • We have an OutreachLibrarianwhodoes"Mobile Library"at local 55+ residences. • our outreachdepthas 2 mini vansthat deliveritemstohomeboundpatronsevery21days and a box truck (moving) thatstrapsin7 librarycarts that goesto local retirement communitiesandnursingfacilitiestovisitseniorsintheirownlobbyarea • One of ourbranchesis locatednexttoa local veteranshome. We do multi-genstorytime and otherevents. Worksgreat. • Our libraryprovidesamonthlymusicprogramat all 4 of our local nursinghomes. Residents reallylove the musicprograms!
- 2. • We have "BookClubina Bag,"10 paperbackcopiesof the same title anda laminated leader'sguide all packedintoazipperedbag. The whole bagchecksoutlike a book. Senior residenceslike thembecause theydon'thave tobuythe books. Easy way forthemto setup a book club. ClubsLibrariesare offeringseniorsalready: knitting/crochetclub AdultColoringClub! (several people hadthis) sci-fi bookclub Our monthlythingisa movie thatputsagingin a positive lightanda discussionafter,with popcorn We domovie nightsandadultcoloring - the moviesare more popularlol We have a retirees bookclub We doafternoonmovies.EveryotherTuesdayisanew release andalternatingFridaysare classicmovies We have a knitting&crochetingcharitygroupthat meetsweeklyandhasforthe last 6 years!All itemsgoto local charitiesinour community. Mah Jongand Canastaare prettypopularwiththe seniorstoo. "CookThe Book"was prettypopularhere fora while.We diditonce a monthfor a while. A theme ispickedforthe monthand everyone stopsatthe libraryandpicksa recipe andtheyall make that recipe andtaste each recipe.The librarianrunningitmade abookup of all the recipesthatwere made thatday. We have a storytellinggroupthatmeets,it'sstartingsmall,butit'sgoingwell! We doadultcoloringas a passive program, butthe sheetsandbookmarksdisappear. Wish more folkswouldleave theirfinishedworkforusto display We have a memoirgroupthat hasbeengoingstrongfor about3 yearsnow! TechnologyPrograms: "SpeedFriending"plannedforMarch seniorcomputerclasses E-readersandOverDrive are huge forus! Our teensearncommunityservice hoursbyteachingthe seniorstechnology. we have a 80 iPadmobile lendingprogramforolderadults- we goand dothe classesin6 week sessions- all grantfunded! People love helpwiththe technology we offerone onone Tech Helpappointments We juststartedofferingTechTutors - teentutorshelpingwithvarioustech,mostlybeingused by seniorsatthe momentandgettingexcellentfeedback WirelessWednesdaysfor2 hours
- 3. my colleague isdoinga"cool grandparents"programwhere srscomplete gadgetandtech challenges The Maine State Libraryoperatesa TechnologyPettingZoo -- avan full of the latestgadgets -- that local librariescanbookfora visit. Peopleof all agescan 'pet'and try out the new technology. State librarystaff presentandexplainitall. Sports& Fitness: Wii Bowlingwasvery popularat a local seniorcenter.:) Pickleballispopularhere We have Tai Chi 4 Your HealthandweeklyMeditation,aswell asaprogram called"Ageless Grace." ChairYoga isverypopular!! BenefitsandSupport: we had the SS deptcome in andtalk wheneverythingwentonline. We've had social security/retirementseminarsandtheyhave beengood We have a caregiversupportgroup. We hada verysuccessful programonwillsandestates.A local lawyercame andanswered questions. In fact we had a seniorfestival- where alotof agenciescame togethertoshowcase whatthey offer We have an annual senior'sappreciationteaforourpatrons withentertainment,andMC,food, and prizes We are doingMedicare,Soc.Sec.,Long Term Care The Dept of Agingdoescome to our libraryonce a monthand hang outin the lobbyto answer questionsaboutseniorprograms i'm a hospice volunteerandhope tofacilitate apartnershipwithourlocal hospice inthe future MysteryThemes Escape rooms are reallypopularuphere rightnow...Idon'tknow if they'dappeal to seniors? Maybe a ColumboorMiss Marple theme? "Real Murder Club"like inthe AuroraTeagardenmysteries? Scrabble Tile coasterswithcorkboard andE6000 Amazonhas100-200 piece tilesforcheap,get cork board from Amazonor craft storesplusE6000 glue to glue tilesonthe cork.Use Mod Podge to give ita matte finish. Estate Management/Value of ThingsinHome We're planninga 'cradle to grave'moneymanagement,includingexecutorplanningandwills and estate planning We diddo a buying/sellingonlineprogramanditwas a good turnout.
- 4. basiceBay sellingverypopular! We have a presenterthatdoesanAntique RoadShow. MidcenturyModernfurniture isREALLY bigwithcity millennials rightnow. We have a local quiltersguildwhichmeetshere andtheywilltake alookat the oldfamiyquilts and tell youaboutthem we invite local antique dealerstocome andprovide anantique appraisal fair one of ourbrancheshad an Antiques Roadshow type event withalocal anique guyanditwas so popularwe had staff inthe middle of the roaddirectingtraffic Crafts& Gardening a popularprogram here forSC isan annual plantswap the patronshere startinggrowingplants justfor the swap! The paint parties have done well here. Some of these wouldbe goodformulti-generational program - seniorssharingtheseskillsand vintage interestswithteensandkids... HistoryPrograms In Decemberwe're havingaPearl Harboranniversaryprogram.Local historianis goingto give a talkabout Pearl Harbor. We are currentlyshowing"Bandof Brothers"overthe course of several weekswithabrief talk by one of our staff whohappensto alsobe a militaryhistoryprofessor Ancestryclassesgooverwell withseniors,usually. Writing Memoir-writingclassesare popularinmylibrary. Verypopularmemoirwritingclassfromlocal college we are doingthe nanowrimoandthe come write ins. Local History A lotof our seniorshave retiredherefromothercitiesandprovincesso the local historydoesn'talways go overwell.Strangelyenough,architecture doesthough! Music We have a ukulele programforadults,verypopular!
- 5. JobFair: Our local JobSource comestodo jobsearching/resumewriting/interviewingworkshops We justdid a job fair...hadabout9 local businessesattendingwithabout20attendees Movies we have reel historythatshowsoldmovie anddiscussesthe makingandhistoryof it Animal Programs We broughtinthe Humane Societylastyearand theybroughtkittens,cats,guineapigsand rabbits.We got to cuddle themall,andthe rabbit,kitten,catall got adopted! We have an eventaroundHalloweencalledBooWow - a dogcostume contestwhere they parade around the libraryandwinprize basketsforseveral categories - hugelypopularwithall ages!