everyone can benefit! (Don’t forget to consult your attorney! Any committee, commission or club should be established in writing by the board with a specific goal, tasks, liability and expectations in place.)
Create Roles
Friendly visitors: This role can vary from stopping in and chatting for a few minutes, to checking mail and helping someone with poor eyesight to read.
Clothes menders: Have a group of crafty moms or dads? Mending seams, fixing buttons, etc., can be harder for aging residents. Add a twist and offer to teach younger residents how to make small repairs without having to run to a tailor!
Coffee Clutch: Needlepoint, knitting and crochet work have all seen an uptick in popularity with the growth of craft sharing websites like Pinterest. Create a craft group! Those with experience can help teach those with less knowledge in some of these older crafting skills.
Driver: One of the greatest causes of social isolation occurs when seniors lose their ability to drive safely. Errands get harder and harder to perform when you have to ask for a ride to and from places. People in general do not like to be a burden on other people, and will often stop asking for aid. Having drivers set up, or contacting your local township to help coordinate senior bus routes can help ease the pain of losing one’s license.
Minor home repairs: Do you have a wood-working club? Have some generally handy homeowners? Helping with odd chores like pulling a dead bush, touching up nicked walls, or pulling weeds can go a long way!
Computer assistance / technology: Using smart phones and other technology comes easier for some people than it does for others. Bringing more tech savvy owners together with those who don’t quite understand all those crazy apps helps them build relationships and interact even when they may not be able to leave the house.
Encourage block or floor captains to keep an eye on neighbors: Even if you don’t create any other committee or club, having block captains or floor captains is an easy way to build a bit of community for all of your residents. If there is an emergency, from water shut off, sewer main repair, fire, flood, etc., these people can help facilitate communication.
Social Services Assistance: Unfortunately, there may be a time when it just isn’t practical for someone to stay in their home, even with some of these programs in place. One last committee or club you could recommend is one to assist in finding services. The Older Americans Act of 1965 and its various amendments over the years have provided a means
for many state and local municipalities to provide additional welfare and agencies for aging Americans. A group of volunteers can easily create a line of communication with your local agencies to coordinate seminars, outings, and service plans for owners who may have a greater need.
Helping your older residents and owners stay in their homes and lead healthy, productive lives is not as difficult a task as you may have thought. Plus, many of these potential groups can help anyone within the community, not just owners who may be aging. Together we can all make a difference!
Construction Division Structural Repair
Balcony/Porch Restoration General Maintenance Work Orders
Fire/Water/Storm Damage Construction
Call the experts in construction servicing the Condominium/Home Owner Associations in the Greater Chicagoland area over 20 years!
630.231.5700 24 | COMMON INTEREST® A Publication of CAI-Illinois Chapter
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