Growing older. Reaching a certain age. Being a senior. These phrases might come with a hint of denial or indifference. So, what can serve as a solution to ensuring that older adults in a community receive the dedicated support they need and deserve without feeling isolated during the process?
Forever Dublin is the City of Dublin’s answer. It’s an umbrella program of the many local resources that residents who are age 55+ can use to help them keep an independent lifestyle, get engaged and stay involved in their own lives. It’s about embracing “aging in place” — showcasing what Dublin has to offer long term while encouraging compassion along the way.
Am I a Senior?
What does “senior” even mean? This seems to be a question for people no matter their age. Younger folks might anyone older than them a senior. Adults may secretly wonder, “Does something actually change when I receive my AARP card in the mail?” The question is an entirely personal one, especially when people think to themselves, “Well, I don’t feel old.”
Being a senior isn’t reaching some magical number; it’s a change in focus. And that doesn’t have to be a negative experience, says Teresa Wasserstrom, Forever Dublin Hub navigator and Syntero’s older adult program coordinator.
“There is so much value and so much to learn and experience that life is not over because you turn 55 or you retire,” she notes. “Just because you’re older, doesn’t automatically mean you’re sick or that you will get sick, or that you have to be vulnerable or can’t be independent.”
Forever Dublin’s resources and services seek to address gaps that would keep a senior from sustaining their independence and limit their satisfaction and contentment in the community.
“We’re used to feeling very confident, competent and secure because we have been living in a very familiar phase of life for so long,” Wasserstrom says. “Seniorhood is often uncharted, unfamiliar territory when we make this transition from the focus we’ve known for 40 years and we move into a new phase.
“Our needs are different, we face different systems, and sometimes they aren’t easy systems to navigate. That’s where it benefits the City of Dublin to have the resources
for seniors to access.”
The Forever Dublin Hub
Enter Syntero. As part of Dublin’s larger plan to prioritize its aging population, the City collaborated with its long-time partner and local service provider Syntero to launch the Forever Dublin Hub in 2019. Wasserstrom oversees a team of trained “Hub navigators” who serve as a one-on-one connection for older adults seeking assistance in any number of areas: housing, transportation, home care, Medicare, meals, safety, emotional health and wellness, recreation options and caregiving support.
Forever Dublin aims to link residents with what they need to prepare them to stay and live independently in Dublin, while the Hub puts that concept into action. Wasserstrom says the Hub is about navigating a broad network of resources.
“Our world, our rules, regulations, policies and practices are changing more rapidly than usual, so it’s good to stay on top of things. The Hub is a place to go to sort out where you get the answers,” she says.
This concierge-style service provides referrals and resources about any question, no matter how small. “With the Hub, it doesn’t have to be a big question or issue.” Wasserstrom reminds that even the simplest question, like where to donate a stair lift chair, can be posed to the navigators.
The personal touch that comes with having a dedicated navigator allows people to feel reassured and comforted in the service, Wasserstrom says.
“There’s a lot to be said about the relationship even if it’s short-term.” She calls the Hub a “non-judgement zone,” sharing that “the only silly question is the one not asked.”
Purposeful Living
As we know, contentment goes deeper than just healthful living and connecting with needed services. Volunteering, continuing education and mentoring others can serve as part of that greater satisfaction for seniors.
Forever Dublin’s connections, including the Hub’s resources, have a specific focus on these critical areas. Just ask Wasserstrom’s team about local volunteerism, business networking opportunities, involvement with the faith community or joining the Dublin Community Recreation Center to meet neighbors.
And purpose does not stop with oneself. For seniors who are also caregivers of older adults, Forever Dublin has a special emphasis on this relationship. If your family member or loved one calls Dublin home but you live out of state, the Hub can make local care suggestions. Conversely, as a long-distance caregiver, a navigator can help
with transitioning a parent to move to Dublin with the right resources.
Wasserstrom points out that people flourish with a sense of being valued and heard, while nurturing a purpose that they can work to maintain. “The vibrance, history, wisdom, knowledge is so vast in older people,” she says. We have so much to gain from having an active, healthy relationship with our seniors. “When they thrive, we thrive.”
Contact a Forever Dublin Hub navigator with questions or to arrange a private appointment to help guide you in living your fullest life here in Dublin. Navigators are available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call 614.889.5722, ext. 810, or email foreverdublin@syntero.org. Get engaged at ForeverDublin.com.
