Creativity and innovation spike for many in later life

"Later entrepreneurship often crosses paths with yet a third later-life trend — the urge to give back. Research shows that half of those who want to become midlife entrepreneurs — more than 12 million people ages 44 to 70 — also want to meet community needs or solve a critical social problem at the same time." Marc Freedman "Why Older Entrepreneurs Have an Edge" Harvard Business Review

What sort of resources and programs would older entrepreneurs want from their public library?

How well equipped is the library to provide information for small business (start-up, legal, financial, networking, etc.)?

Images of older women in the media

Description: Images of older women in the media are frequently stereotyped or left out altogether. The 'Look at me! Images of Women and Ageing' project, led by Dr Lorna Warren at the University of Sheffield, encouraged women to create their own, alternative images - showing their experiences of ageing. A transcript of this video can be found at www.esrc.ac.uk/publications/multimedia/seven-days/transcript-image-identity.aspx

It is important to consider the stereotypes that might influence library marketing to older adults, perhaps it is men who might be missing from images used ... or older adults from diverse backgrounds? Are there stereotypes influencing the choice of programming for older adults at the library?

Why we should embrace our age

A wonderful post by Loretta Laroche. This article first appeared in Huffington Post. Loretta is full of joy and practical wisdom, including practical tips on aging well by:

• making each day feel like a new beginning
• reinventing yourself on some level so that you don’t become your own “Groundhog Day”
• spend time in community with others
• become more involved in the pursuit of altruism
• find the bless in the mess
• laugh as often as possible
• keep a positive outlook: “if you think the worst and get the worst, you suffer twice; if you think the best and get the worst, you only suffer once.”

Loretta has a PBS special about "juicy living, juicy aging" -

How will local government cope with ageing communities?

The purpose of the Local Government and Ageing Project was "to identify the magnitude of costs for Local Government of an ageing population, including the size of any financial impact, the range of council services affected, and potential impacts on council's revenue raising capacity as a result of population ageing.  The study also documented the growing social and economic contribution older people are making to their local communities. "

A tool kit is available.

Global Age-friendly Cities

The World Health Organisation has an active ageing framework. "Active ageing is the process of optimizing opportunities for health, participation and security in order to enhance quality of life as people age." This mission would apply equally well to the services for 50+ years in a public library. Building on this framework, WHO published a Global age friendly cities guide in 2007 which includes some goals that could also articulate quite effectively the goals of libraries in serving older people:

"In an age-friendly city, policies, services, settings and structures support and enable people to age actively by:

• recognizing the wide range of capacities and resources among older people;
• anticipating and responding flexibly to ageing-related needs and preferences;
• respecting their decisions and lifestyle choices;
• protecting those who are most vulnerable; and
• promoting their inclusion in and contribution to all areas of community life."

References:

• Active ageing: a policy framework. Geneva, World Health Organization, 2002 (http://whqlibdoc.who.int/hq/2002/who_nmh_nph_02.8.pdf)
• Global age-friendly cities : a guide. Geneva, World Health Organization, 2007 (http://www.who.int/ageing/publications/Global_age_friendly_cities_Guide_English.pdf)

Interacting with library collections

One really interesting development comes from the DOKLAB (DOK public library in Delft, Netherlands).

DOKLAB Project P from DOKLAB on Vimeo.

How many ways could this type of technology be used to allow older library clients to:

• contribute their own photos or memories to the library collections
• curate their own stories using material already in the library collection
• add information to what is already known about photos and images
• explore technology without needing to master a mouse or keyboard
  

I think it would be very interesting to collect the migration stories from a local community in this way, after all 25% of Australians were born overseas ... that's a lot of stories to tell.

Growing older?

Day 13/30 #blogeverydayinjune #blogjune

The more astute reader will realise Day 12 is missing ... (oops) ... but here we are again, considering the startling fact that in Australia over the next decade 25% of teachers will retire. There are similarly large figures of library workers projected to retire. This raises a number of issues for public libraries:

• local studies expertise - is it possible to be mentored by / shadow an experienced local studies librarian and assimilate years of knowledge and experience?
• children's librarians - this highly creative area demands a range of performance skills, boundless energy and enthusiasm and is sometimes subject to burnout ... will we have enough experts to keep offering the highly valued baby bounce and rhyme times, storytimes and other programs in future?
• a lot of library work is quite physical ... how will an ageing workforce handle shelving and other tasks?
• can an ageing library workforce keep pace with the rapid development of technology?

I think library workers are creative, flexible and accept that theirs is a lifelong learning profession ... I just hope we have the numbers to keep it all going.

Healthy ageing - stay physically active

Day 9/30 #blogjune

As the excellent folk at Better Health Channel have said, "Physical activity (exercise) can help older people maintain independence, recover from illness and reduce their risk of disease. Muscle mass and bone strength can be improved with regular exercise. Walking, swimming, dancing and cycling are all good forms of exercise which can also be sociable"

So where do libraries fit into this picture?

• DVDs (tai chi, yoga, zumba, stretching, dancing, seated exercises, pilates.... )
• classes - why not have a tai chi class in the library or offer a 'try before you buy' seniors session for a variety of activities
• festivals of healthy ageing featuring health providers
  
• community directories listing physical activity options for over 50's

Recycled careers?

Day 8/30 #blogjune

One of the challenges facing any professional is remaining relevant and 'at the top of their game'. In the library profession, one that is dominated by technology, there is an ongoing need to maintain and develop skills.

This article: How to Remain Relevant When You’re Over 40 includes some tips that have particular application for knowledge workers:

1. Community building.
2. Information processing.
3. Bridge building.
4. Manage your personal brand.
5. Commit to life-long learning.

Good advice for librarians ... but perhaps also good advice for libraries?

Grandma's Superhero therapy

Day 6/30 #blogjune

"A few years ago, French photographer Sacha Goldberger found his 91-year-old Hungarian grandmother Frederika feeling lonely and depressed. To cheer her up, he suggested that they shoot a series of outrageous photographs in unusual costumes, poses, and locations. Grandma reluctantly agreed, but once they got rolling, she couldn't stop smiling." Source: Grandma's Superhero Therapy

I would love to see a library use photos like this in their marketing to older people!

Reflect: libraries and ageing well

Day 5/30 #blogjune

There are many opportunities for public libraries to support the many interests and life stages we experience as we age, here are just a few examples:

Collections:

• This Is Getting Old: Zen Thoughts on Aging with Humor and Dignity / Susan Moon
• Rules for Aging: A Wry and Witty Guide to Life / Roger Rosenblatt
• Healing Walks for Hard Times: Quiet Your Mind, Strengthen Your Body, and Get Your Life Back / Carolyn Scott Kortge
• Your life matters / Petrea King
• Gifts From the Heart : Meditations on Caring for Aging Parents / Bonni Goldberg and Geo Kendall
  
• Encore: Finding Work that Matters in the Second Half of Life / Marc Freedman

Programs:

• Creative writing and memoir writing workshops
• Philosophers club
• Author talks
• toolkit for Friends groups on attracting and keeping baby boomer volunteers
  

A Place for Us? Baby boomers, their elders, and the public library

Day 2/30 #blogjune

This looks like a very interesting research proposal from Canada, to take a closer look at the role public libraries play in the lives of older people who are also carers for a family member.

"The key research questions this study will attempt to answer are:

• What role does the public library play as a place in the lives of baby boomers who provide care and/or companionship to elders?

• What are the characteristics, needs, and behaviours of this growing segment of the population served by public libraries?

The exploratory nature of the research questions suggests that a qualitative methodological approach to research design is appropriate."

Read more:
Wendy Robbins, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ont.
A Place for Us? Baby boomers, their elders, and the public library: a proposal for the Research round table

Blog every day in June! 1/30

Day 1/30 #blogjune

I've decided to join library colleagues everywhere around Australia who have taken up the challenge to blog every day in june #blogjune .... so here we are on day one.

I'm interested in five themes for healthy ageing - neatly summarised from Dan Buettner's TEDx talk by Garr Reynolds as

I think these five themes may offer a framework for public libraries in planning collections and services for older people and supporting healthy and fulfilling ageing in their communities.

Are we the champions?

One of the challenges facing many people as they age is hearing loss. This week the news broke that Roger Taylor, drummer for the legendary band Queen has severe hearing loss. "Taylor revealed that he has joined the ranks of Who guitarist Pete Townshend and former Genesis drummer Phil Collins as the latest casualty of mega-volume stadium concerts."

It's food for thought ... after all, how well do public libraries meet the needs of clients experiencing degrees of hearing loss?

• Are hearing aid loops available in meeting spaces and at customer service points?
• Are quiet study rooms available away from the noise of the busy library floor? (yes, that's right public libraries can be noisy places)
• Does the collection include information about hearing loss and local support groups and services?

And here is a clip of Queen performing "We will rock you".

Look. Snap. Connect - exercises to boost the ageing brain

"As human brains age, they lose their ability to recall memories. Our memory peaks at the age of 30, and then it declines gradually with time.... Gary Small, a professor of psychiatry and aging at UCLA, says there are ways that we can reduce the effects of this kind of memory loss by exercising our brains—training our neurons the same way that we can exercise our muscles at the gym using relatively simple techniques. He distills the basics of these down to three concepts: "look, snap, connect."

• Look = focusing attention. The biggest reason that people don’t remember things is they’re simply not paying attention.
• Snap = create a mental snapshot of information you want to recall later.
  
• Connect = linking up those mental snapshots eg. "if I’m running out quickly and I have two errands, pick up eggs and go to the post office. I might visualize in my mind and egg with a stamp on it."

Source: Neural Exercises Boost the Aging Brain

This article is part of a series in the Big Think's Month of Going Mental

Festival of active living - Library Stars

The winner of this year's Health and Aging category of the ALIA Library Stars was the "Festival of Active Living" held by The Hills Shire Library Service in NSW.

The three-day Festival included hobbies, health and wellbeing and lifestyle options and talks by gardening guru Sandra Ross, meditation expert Kevin Hume, media personality Ita Buttrose and author Mary Moody. Stalls were provided by community groups such as artists, knitters, yoga instructors and chiropractors. The Rock n Soul Choir really showed just how loud and vibrant libraries can be.

Objectives of the festival were:

• to change perceptions about libraries and increase awareness and usage;
  
• open opportunities for seniors to remain active and enhance their quality of life;
• to help build a vibrant, healthy and active community; and
  
• to provide avenues for seniors to connect and be part of their community.

Also worthy of a mention - the judges highly commended the Burnside Library, South Australia for "The 5 P’s of Public Libraries – Progressive Promotion, Partnerships and Popular Programs". A range of programs have been introduced to entice baby boomers into the library, where they can use their leisure time in a productive, creative and meaningful way.
The services have been categorised into three streams:

• Progressive Promotion; using technology such as Vodcasts and Podcasts, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter to promote library services.
• Partnerships; linking with a wide range of groups to provide programs of interest to baby boomers. One example of a partnership is the library working with the State Theatre Company to promote selected plays under the umbrella of the Scene It? program.
• Partnerships with local book stores to host author visits and the Book of The Year presentation have also been included in the partnerships program.
• Popular Programs; Many services of interest to baby boomers are offered, including a range of computer classes, social classes such as art and craft and languages and reader advisory and general entertainment programs.
  

Extreme Seniors

This clip featuring the athletic adventures of some of Whistler's most extreme senior citizens really speaks for itself.

Challenging Ageing Stereotypes

My mother always said you should never judge a person til you'd walked a mile in their shoes. That's exactly what a Glasgow actress did - she tried on the face and hair of an older woman and travelled around the city centre shops, cafes, train stations and streets - to see how differently the public treated her.

Find out more at www.seetheperson.info

First aid readiness

It is rare for me to visit my local shopping centre around midday during the week. But this week I did just that. In the space of just a couple of hours, I saw two teams of paramedics assisting elderly shoppers who were injured or had collapsed. The shopping centre staff handled each situation calmly, they knew their procedures and even had screens at the ready to shield an elderly man who'd collapsed on the main concourse from view.

It made me wonder how ready most public library staff might be to handle a similar situation. Are procedures in place? Have staff been trained to handle common incidents? In a crisis how will they react?

As our community ages and the numbers of older people using libraries increases accordingly we need to start thinking about our first aid readiness.

Dementia Awareness Week

Perhaps one of the most frightening aspects of ageing is memory loss. How often have you heard someone refer to having a 'senior moment'? There are even computer games marketed with the promise that they will 'help you improve your brain'.

Why not find out what you can do to help yourself during Dementia Awareness Week from September 16-26. Check out the Mind your Mind program from Alzheimers Australia.

The seven Mind your Mind signposts are:

1. Mind your Brain – Keep your brain active
2. Mind your Diet – Eat healthily
3. Mind your Body – Be physically active
4. Mind your Health Checks – Manage blood pressure, blood cholesterol, blood sugar and weight
5. Mind your Social Life – Participate in social activities
6. Mind your Habits – Avoid tobacco smoke and only drink alcohol in moderation
7. Mind your Head- Protect your head from serious injury
   

Research indicates that these seven steps may help reduce risk and may even delay the onset of dementia.