Social Engagement and Housing: Takeaways from the December engAGED Webinar
The December engAGED webinar highlighted creative initiatives and partnerships to address social isolation within senior housing.
Setting the Stage
Older adults living in senior housing may have less social support, which can lead to higher levels of loneliness and social isolation. The American Association of Service Coordinators shared the importance of connecting with the more than 6,000 service coordinators in senior housing that is funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to encourage socialization and offer supportive services to residents. Collaborations between senior housing communities and community partners can reduce social isolation and loneliness for residents by offering congregate programs and activities, and connecting residents to other community offerings.
Aging Ahead at Home: Bringing Resources to Your Door
Aging Ahead, the Area Agency on Aging (AAA) based in Manchester, MO, developed the Aging Ahead at Home program to combat social isolation and expand access to resources for older adults living in affordable housing while also creating a revenue stream for the AAA. After partnering with a housing developer to offer services onsite at one housing facility, the program has since expanded to offer services in seven apartment locations across three counties. An Aging Ahead Community Options Specialist offers onsite support and assessments to residents at each location, so residents are aware of the programs and services offered by Aging Ahead and other community providers. To promote socialization among residents, staff offer social and educational programs and activities for residents including Bingo, trivia, information sessions on recent scams with the police department, falls prevention with the fire department, board games and more.
Quilting for a Cause
PEP Housing, a community-based organization in Santa Rosa, CA that provides affordable housing and supportive services for older adults, developed the Quilting for a Cause program during the COVID-19 pandemic to use arts and creative expression to help reduce isolation of residents. PEP Housing provides participants with the materials for making the quilts and the participants decide on a pattern and design for each quilt. Older adult residents and volunteers then work together to sew fabric and quilt batting to create quilt squares. After the squares are sewn together, the quilt is sold or auctioned to raise money for future projects within the housing community. The program has helped participants cultivate new friendships and connections within the housing community.
Tips and Lessons Learned
Aging Ahead shared the following tips and lessons learned when developing programs and activities for residents.
Be persistent in efforts to bring residents out of their residences and continue to invite all residents to events.
Obtain buy-in from the management team and engage residents in programming decisions.
Find timely and trending topics for programming to keep offerings interesting for residents.
Provide education in social settings. If residents are playing cards or having coffee together, join them for social and educational conversations.
People are motivated by “food, fun and free” things, so having no-cost events and including snacks can entice residents to participate.
Additional Resources
To learn more about social engagement and housing, listen to the webinar recording and view the webinar slides. The Housing and Services Resource Center (HSRC), a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Housing and Urban Development also offers resources to support your organization’s housing work. Visit the HSRC website to access a curated set of federal technical assistance and tools on various housing and services topics as well as tools and models for cross-sector partnerships. Both USAging and the Housing and Services Resource Center are administered by USAging.