Next Chapters
Civic Ventures is an exciting movement using community resources for the enrichment of older adults. Energetic boomers will continue to enjoy good physical and mental health, possibly for decades after leaving the work force. Making the most of the time available, they will pursue:
Keeping their minds challenged
Probing spiritual issues
Seeking social connections
Making meaningful contributions to their community
What they will be casting about trying to find is a place where they can get information about opportunities in each of these areas. In its embryonic phase, under the auspices of Civic Ventures, is the formation of initiatives known as Next Chapters. These are physical places where older adults can meet to socialize and at the same time gather information about courses, classes, and local job or volunteer openings.
Sometimes the Next Chapter “place” is the local library, as in Newton, Massachusetts. Libraries are reinventing themselves as civic places for the twenty-first century. After-school programs and help with homework have been offered for a while, and now networking opportunities and enrichment programs are being developed for the youngsters' grandparents.
In Chicago a Starbucks-like knockoff developed specifically for seniors was created with the mini chain of Mather's More Than a Café. Five different locations in the Chicago area serve the local neighborhoods in which they are based. Classes for exercise, access to computers, and art are all based at the restaurants. Trips and daily outings are offered. Even medical issues can be addressed with health care professionals who are available with advice and referrals.
Next Chapters are not replicated in a cookie-cutter fashion. Each is organized in response to the particular mix of interests and needs of a local community. The people and institutions nearby are the juice used to create a vibrant place. Programs, the physical space, and even the name reflect the unique population of a particular geographical area.
See Appendix B for contact information for Civic Ventures. You can contact them to obtain materials for planning a Next Chapter.
One thing is for sure: The group of people ending a period of full-time work and facing ten, twenty, or thirty years yet to live are not going to waste their time. Gaining new knowledge, simply for the joy of it, acquiring new skills and finding places to use them, and seeking a greater understanding of the meaning of life are all going to keep a headstrong generation going strong for a long time to come.
