Social Participation
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A happy match made by the Furever Friends Program
SOCIAL ISOLATION
China for a Lifetime: matches volunteers with isolated neighbors, arranges grocery deliveries, and provides rides to medical and social opportunities so that all residents can be as connected as they want to be
Dexter Age-Friendly: developed the Furever Friends program, which pairs older adults with shelter cats in need of good homes
Age-Friendly Mount Vernon: delivered printed games, muffins and other treats so that everyone could enjoy February Frolix, in person or from afar
Learning about outer space with Age-Friendly Houlton
Regularly Scheduled Social Events
Age-Friendly Bowdoinham: hosts regular meals, educational and wellness opportunities, and shared fun (line dancing anyone?)
Wayne Aging at Home: started a widow/widower support group that meets regularly to help people navigating the loss of a life partner
Age-Friendly Yarmouth: hosts a regular Community Cafe, game days, and trips to facilitate social engagement
Learning about outer space with Age-Friendly Houlton
Exercise with Friends
Age-Friendly Community Initiative (Bethel region): collaborates with Gould Academy to offer the Winter Walk the Gym program, a comfortable, friendly way of seeing friends (and making new ones) and getting good exercise
Age-Friendly Coastal Communities (communities on Blue Hill Peninsula and Deer Isle) developed a Walking Café that invites residents to enjoy coffee, snacks, and, in summer, a walk on an accessible trail in the Blue Hill Heritage Trust or, in winter, a walk inside the First Congregational Church in Blue Hill
Hot-Air Balloon Fun in Freeport
Special Events
Age-Friendly Freeport Pownal: sponsored an outdoor event featuring a hot air balloon experience for people of all ages and abilities
Age-Friendly Millinocket: hosts the annual Katahdin Snowdown! festival, an all-ages outdoor celebration of all things winter
Age-Friendly Readfield: offers Readfield U a month ling series of events and presentations offered by residents for residents during the month of March
Coffee Donuts and Advice in Liberty, which is part of Aging Well in Waldo County
Re-Purposing Existing Public Space for Social Connections
The Grateful Undead, a regional approach to age-friendly in the Sacopee Valley: developing a senior center without walls, using publicly available spaces for cultural, recreational, social, and intellectual activities
Aging Well in Waldo County: partnered with area libraries to develop welcoming spaces for games, quiet reading, or time with friends and provides a weekly entertaining information table (and free coffee and donuts) in the newly developed outdoor space at the Liberty Library
Central Hall Commons
Developing a Community Center
Danforth Livable Communities Center: renovated a former church to become a vibrant community hub, adding a wheelchair-accessible ADA compliant walkway, entry, doorway, and new interior stairwell to ensure the space is friendly and safe for everyone.
Age-Friendly Dover-Foxcroft: worked with community partners to develop Central Hall Commons, a community center that brings people of all generations together to connect, celebrate, and learn together
Aging Well in Waldo County, Community Read program
Arts & Humanities Programs
Age-Friendly Bowdoinham partnered with the Merry Meeting Arts Center and a local artist to organize a series of art workshops for people living with dementia
Age-Friendly Eliot: partnered with The UnLonely Project to provide an arts and socialization experience for isolated residents to explore the experience of isolation and develop social connections
Old Orchard Beach Community Friendly Connections worked with students in Making Memories, a project to record the stories of older residents.
We're inspired by...
Danforth Livable Community Center Continuing to Grow
Danforth Livable Communities team renovated a building donated to the town to be used as a community center. It was no small feat to raise the $70,000 needed to renovate the building and additional funding to start programs. Without raising property taxes or using town funds, they raised funds are now offering programs! (Click the picture to view the story.)
Promoting Social Connection in Saco
While social isolation increased for many Mainers during the pandemic, it can be an everyday problem for folks who are homebound. Learn more about how Saco supports its residents in staying connected in this NewsCenter Maine story.
Please note that this is not an exhaustive list of all programs, services, and activities developed in Social Participation but is a sampling of approaches adopted by lifelong communities. We update this section regularly to highlight the many strategies implemented in Maine communities.