BUCKSPORT, Maine - "Thriving in Place" is the name of an effort in Bucksport that is helping it become a community that's friendly to its growing number of older residents. Its goals are to enable seniors to stay in their homes, stay social, and stay healthy.
For an aging population, it's common to place a priority on medical needs. But James Bradney, health planning director for the Bucksport Bay Healthy Communities Coalition, says when the town convened older residents to ask what they needed to continue living at home, they said: " 'We're talking about things like light housekeeping, and light yard work, and shoveling snow; and companionship, running errands, and transportation.' "
In an effort stretching back 20 years, the Bucksport Coalition has worked to meet those needs, with the help of the town and other agencies. It has found money to subsidize public transit every Wednesday, augmented by a volunteer driver service. It provides meals and exercise programs. And it listens.
"Welcome everyone, we'll get started." That's Donna Carter, opening a meeting of the Senior Resource Committee, held in the town's senior center. On this day, 10 people gather to hear about progress on issues they've identified. It is from meetings like this that Bradney, the health planning director, says he and others learn about problems that might not be obvious to younger people.
"The plows would throw the snow up on the sidewalks, and then, shortly thereafter, the sidewalk plows would come by and throw it back toward the street. And, what would happen would be a large snow "berm" or dam would develop, so people were actually not able to walk across the street."
The town solved that problem, buying a small snow blower and hiring someone part-time to use it to clear breaks in those snow berms, especially at crosswalks.
"It makes me feel incredible," says long-time committee member Mary Jane Bush about the big things the panel has accomplished in nearly two decades. "Gardiner Commons, a 26-unit supportive housing complex, the transportation services that did not exist back in 2000."
The Maine Health Access Foundation is funding the "Thriving in Place" initiative. Older people are encouraged to register. They'll have someone they can call for help, whether it's arranging rides, meals, or getting help with legal or financial matters.
Donna Carter, who, in addition to chairing the committee, coordinates a meal service for seniors, says one of the challenges is getting older people to register. "There's a lot of people out around we find that we can't reach. And we know they're there and we know who a lot of them are. But their age and their pride keeps them from asking."
Bucksport residents of all ages face another challenge. (Audio of demolition) This is the sound of demolition at the now-closed Verso paper mill, which has been a major economic driver in the region. James Bradney says its demise poses new challenges - "unemployment, poverty, difficulty with people being able to pay their taxes, etc. And younger families moving out of town who may have been here to care for their older family members are now moving to find other employment."
But Bradney says the community remains optimistic. Once demolition is completed, Bucksport will have a prime development site, right next to its downtown.
Meanwhile, the work of making Bucksport friendly to older citizens continues. At a recent meeting, the committee talked about working with two local businesses to make them more easily accessible. And it also heard that Bucksport is planning to apply, through an AARP program, to become certified as an age-friendly community, something that would seem likely, given its 20 years of work on elder issues.
If approved, Bucksport would join about a half-dozen other towns on the list.
