Serving Seniors

1. Serving Seniors Sarah Hubbard Lexington Public Library shubbard@lexpublib.org 2014 Kentucky Summer Reading Program Conference

16. Why Focus on Seniors? • Kentucky’s population is aging • Rural areas especially see this at an accelerated rate • 2/3 of households with minor children used a public library within the past year (2002) • 1/3 of households with retired members used a public library in the past year (2002)

17. Part II Programming Concepts & Ideas

18. Welcoming Buildings

19. signage

20. parking lot

21. sidewalks

22. wheelchairs

23. caution markings

24. flooring

25. seating

26. shelving

27. special collections

28. Program Guidelines • Daylight hours ONLY • Consider a mid-day time slot during lulls • Offer frequent very basic digital literacy classes – small class size • Track community events to avoid conflict

29. Program Ideas • Financial literacy and security • Medical and health • Continuing education • Recareering • Digital literacy • Social/Support Groups

30. Financial Literacy • Health care/insurance information • Affordable housing • Insurance • Money investment and risk • Scams • Short- and long-term planning • Social Security or Medicare/Medicaid benefits

31. Medical and Health • Managing chronic health issues • Caregiving • New medical advances/choices • Healthy choices • Physical or mental health information

32. Continuing Education • Craft instruction • Household skills/organization • Language learning

33. Recareering • Second career opportunities • Grandparents as parents

34. Digital Literacy • Ongoing emphasis on extreme beginner courses: • Using the Parts of a Computer • Introduction to the Internet • Computer safety • Creating and saving documents • Both class computers and access computers provided by library • Classes can be one-time concept classes or ongoing social gatherings

35. Social/Support Groups • Book talks/book discussion groups • Guest lecture series • Game nights • Craft groups • Movie groups • Exercise groups • Health groups • Technology groups

36. Marketing • Partnerships • Outreach • Flyers/Media

37. Partnerships • Senior centers and assisted living facilities • Literacy groups or writing groups / local authors • Senior advocacy groups • Local history or genealogy groups • Craft/hobby groups

38. Outreach • Fairs/festivals • Senior centers • Local history groups/relevant nonprofits • Seminars

39. Flyers/Media • Newspapers – community and specialty • Community boards • Senior centers • Relevant nonprofits / newsletters • Radio stations • Government departments

40. Links The Changing Demographic Profile of the United States http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RL32701.pdf Kentucky Population Growth – State Data Center http://ksdc.louisville.edu/images/Publications/KSDC%20Research%20Report%20Vol1%20No1.pdf Library WebJunction – Older Adults and Seniors http://www.webjunction.org/explore-topics/older-adults.html Libraries – Transforming Life After 50 http://transforminglifeafter50.org/ Kentucky Elder Readiness Initiative http://www.mc.uky.edu/keri/ Kentucky’s Aging Population – State Data Center http://ksdc.louisville.edu/images/Presentations/KY_Gerentology_Conference.swf Households’ Use of Public and Other Types of Libraries: 2002 http://www.imls.gov/assets/1/News/HouseholdUsePL2002_1-2007.pdf