Upstate Senior Issues Meeting

In September of 2012, Ten at the Top (TATT) hosted a regional forum in Pendleton, South Carolina with the theme of “Future Needs of Our Growing Senior Population.” The forum included discussion on a variety of senior issues and included some general recommendations on how to ensure seniors remain active and engaged in the community following retirement.

As a follow-up, TATT has hosted two meetings of community leaders, elected officials and interested residents from across the Upstate to discuss some of the key issues facing seniors across the region and to identify some potential opportunities for building regional programs to support some of these issues.

As a result, four potential regional issues/opportunities have been identified:

1.       Developing a group of volunteers around a specific need (transportation)

2.       Creation of a Senior Leadership Program or Forum

3.       Reaching Professional Seniors for Volunteer Opportunities

4.       Developing an on-the-ground senior needs assessment

At the most recent meeting, on December 11, 2012, four group members agreed to provide brief summaries on the different areas. The intention being to compile the summaries and then send them out to those who have been previously engaged as well as others who are currently engaged with or supportive of senior needs across the region.

At the next group meeting, scheduled for February 12, 2013 from 10am-noon at the Ten at the Top/Upstate Alliance Offices at 124 Verdae Boulevard, we will be reviewing the four areas and discussing if there are any opportunities to build these ideas into regional programs.