Shownotes
We welcome Christine Happel, the assistant director of the Age Friendly Innovation Center, to discuss the vital services and resources available to seniors in Central Ohio.
Christine elaborates on the Senior Services Roundtable, a platform that connects seniors with essential resources and services in the community. The Roundtable's effectiveness is in promoting collaboration, networking, and resource sharing.
Christine sheds light on the deep impact of the Roundtable, showcasing how it has facilitated communication and sharing of over 6,000 emails from 550 organizations over a 10-year period, leading to fruitful connections and resource sharing.
The Roundtable, under the Age Friendly Innovation Center, serves as a crucial platform for information sharing, collaboration, and advocacy, with over 750 engaged members. It fosters a low-stakes environment where members can contribute as they are able and when needed. The Roundtable serves as a clearinghouse of information and ideas to enable older adults to age in place, positively impacting the community.
The episode delves into the Roundtable's evolution, emphasizing its seamless transition to virtual formats during the pandemic, highlighting the efficiency of Zoom programming and the vital role of organizations in meeting the needs of older adults during challenging times. Despite the difficulties posed by the pandemic, the community rallied together to ensure the care and well-being of older adults in Franklin County.
An essential aspect of the Roundtable's mission is to champion resources, networking, and collaboration while offering opportunities for evolution and experimentation. Notably, the organization plans to continue implementing member requests and recommendations, with a forthcoming focus on providing free CEU opportunities in 2024.
The Age-Friendly Innovation Center's successful initiative in Columbus is recognized as a model that could be replicated in other Ohio regions, leveraging networking groups to provide unique advantages for the roundtable model. The success of the Roundtable in Columbus is attributed to the collaborative efforts of community leaders, the support of the mayor, and local organizations.
The importance of promoting and sharing information about programs and resources, such as libraries, to support the existing work, is emphasized. Additionally, the Roundtable actively supports and promotes the library as a valuable and friendly resource. However there are challenges in communicating and disseminating information to older adults, and there are ongoing efforts to understand how older adults obtain trusted information and to improve communication in the community.
"Communication is something that is ever-changing and access to communication tools like technology is not equitable across our community."
— Christine Happel
We also talk about the challenges in technology access and digital equity for older adults, focusing on the Age Friendly Innovation Center's initiatives to address the needs of older residents in the community. Word-of-mouth is still an important communication tool as well as in-person interactions.
Christine discusses the significant challenges related to housing and transportation needs for older adults and the collective efforts of the aging network to address these issues through discussions, advocacy, and initiatives.
Key Takeaways
1. The Senior Services Roundtable, under the Age Friendly Innovation Center, serves as a vital communication pipeline in Columbus, Ohio, connecting seniors with valuable resources and services, with a focus on information sharing and collaboration within the aging network.
2. The roundtable has over 750 engaged members and aims to be inclusive to all individuals interested in aging-related work, providing a unique platform for networking, resource sharing, and advocacy for older adults in the community.
3. The roundtable's informal and low-stakes nature allows members to contribute as they are able, leading to collaborative efforts and an emphasis on action-oriented opportunities to facilitate aging in place and meet the needs of older adults within the community.
4. Through the use of an email list server, the roundtable facilitates connections and resource sharing, with over 6,000 emails exchanged from 550 organizations over 10 years, demonstrating the power of information dissemination within the aging network.
5. The roundtable, a successful aging program, aims to address significant issues such as housing and transportation needs for older adults through discussions, advocacy, and collective initiatives within the aging network.
Memorable Moments
04:14 Senior Services Roundtable promotes aging resource collaboration.
09:52 Age Friendly fosters new efforts, and admin support.
16:39 Age Friendly Innovation Center focuses on communication.
19:17 Digital equity coalition works to bridge gaps.
22:01 The aging network faces housing and transportation challenges.
26:04 Collaboration in non-profits aiding older adults' employment.
Past Looking Forward Our Way episodes we mention in the episode.
Christine Happel is a dedicated social worker who has made an impact in her community through her various roles. After completing her field placement for her master's of social work at the Clintonville Beach Weld Community Resources Center in 2013, she was offered a position as an outreach worker in the senior supportive services program. Within a year, she became the founding director of Village in the Ville and the Greater Columbus Network of Villages. After a decade at the CRC, Christine transitioned to the Age Friendly Innovation Center in 2022. Before her impressive career in social work, she lived and worked in a co-working community as a caregiver for a young woman with autism, which solidified her belief in the importance of building communities to meet a wide range of needs. Christine's dedication to creating supportive and inclusive communities has made a lasting impact on those she has worked with.
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Recorded in Studio C at 511 Studios. A production of Circle270Media Podcast Consultants.
Copyright 2024 Carol Ventresca and Brett Johnson
Transcripts
This past year, there was an email sent by a social worker at Friendship Village in Dublin about a gently used mobility chair that was available for free to someone in the community. And 30 seconds later, this email, was responded with someone who would be happy to take that, mobility device. And so I think this really speaks to the need probably for free and affordable mobility devices, but also to the function of email list server.
Brett Johnson [:We are Looking Forward Our Way from Studio C in the 511 Studios In the Brewery district, just south of downtown Columbus, Ohio. Hi. This is Brett. Central Ohio is known for its vast array of nonprofit organizations, Resources and services to the community. However, seniors often have difficulty finding those valuable resources. The senior services roundtable was developed as a communications pipeline to get the word out that Columbus can care for its senior population.
Carol Ventresca [:You know, Brett, the roundtable has become really a model program serving thousands of older adults through a very simple, easy process of linking those in need with the services that are available through this roundtable process. Today, our guest is Christine Happel.
Christine Happel [:Hello, everyone. Hello, Brett. Hello, Carol.
Carol Ventresca [:Christine is the assistant director of the Age Friendly Innovation Center and Age Friendly Columbus and Franklin County program. And Christine is going to give us an update on the roundtable and plans for the future. So, Christine, thanks so much for joining us today.
Brett Johnson [:Well, it's your 1st time you've been on the podcast. We always like to, you know, give our guests that that intro time. So let's, you know, hear more about you, your background, How you came to work in the realm of this of the senior services?
Christine Happel [: community resources center in: Carol Ventresca [:So, Christine, that village in the village is sort of a separate entity from the the Beach Wall Resource Center. Correct?
Christine Happel [: her to start that program in,: Carol Ventresca [:Good. Yep. We did actually did a podcast on, the village's concept, and so we'll make sure our our listeners Get to get information on that one too because it's an amazing program, very much grassroots, very much based on volunteers helping their neighbors, but What a great opportunity to really learn what the needs are in the community.
Christine Happel [:Oh, absolutely. And so community based and just such a huge champion of our local villages.
Carol Ventresca [:Great. Okay. You know, we had the opportunity to learn more about Age Friendly Innovation Center and The age friendly Columbus and Franklin County program earlier this year, another great podcast. So your director, Marissa Sheldon, Provided an overview of age friendly and its inception in the United States and the work that you've accomplished. But the roundtable Was just recently added under the mantle of age friendly. It had been an independent group, and It it's an to me, it is just a really typical, look at what Columbus does, and that is just reaching out and helping people, not necessarily in a formal way, just digging down and making sure that that folks Get what they need. So tell us a little bit more about the inception of the roundtable.
Christine Happel [: The roundtable was founded in: Christine Happel [:I really appreciate that the roundtable was designed to be low stakes. Maybe you are available to connect over email right now, but perhaps differently in the future. And this model allows members to to pay as they are able, as they have something to contribute. And, also, everyone is welcome to be a member, whether you're a professional, a student, an older adult, or maybe someone who fits all of these categories, folks who have recently changed positions or are new to the aging network, or folks who have done this work for generations. All are welcome.
Carol Ventresca [:You know, we have to give a huge shout out to Fran and Dave Paul. Fran is, she is the mom for all of us and and has, really fostered the notion of what's good for a senior is good for anybody Around, around our community and, to thank Mike Coleman for the work that he did just In bringing up this issue of, you know, we have seniors who need help. And they had seen too many people Calling and complaining, things were falling through the cracks for for our seniors. So, Fran, thank you. We it's been great. It it's it's We've had a great ride. And and the the thing about the roundtable, even with its informality, things get done, Which I always found to be amazing that that that happened. But, oftentimes, I would sit in my office and Start reading through the ton of emails that went out every day, but it worked.
Carol Ventresca [:Well, I think
Brett Johnson [:the you know, from my recollection of it 2 is that, you know, the expectation of its members is it's very low. So, you know, therefore, you just you're just there. When you're needed, raise your hand.
Carol Ventresca [:Right?
Brett Johnson [:Which which is a nice situation to be in.
Carol Ventresca [:And what people were expected to do is what their job was. Right. It's not like they were asked to do oh, be in charge of an event, be in charge Mhmm. None nothing extra.
Christine Happel [:Yeah.
Carol Ventresca [:It was just really, being able to do your job, but it's that sharing of information which is so hard to do To our older adult communities. Right.
Brett Johnson [:Well, the roundtable has a very distinct goal of serving as a clearing house of information and ideas that can assist Older adults in our region, and there is a special emphasis on those aging in place, which is great. How's the has the roundtable met this goal? And what's has been the impact on the community?
Christine Happel [:Yeah. The email list server is really a great way to share information across Our aging network in Franklin County, a couple of years ago, several students with a friendly took inventory of emails sent through the listserv. And over a 10 year period, there were more than 6,000 emails sent from folks at 550 organizations, And these emails included ones about community events, continuing education opportunities, public service announcements, service resources, and actual connections to services being made. For example, this past year, there was an email sent by a social worker at Friendship Village in Dublin about a gently used mobility chair that was available for free to someone in the community. And 30 seconds later, this email, was responded with someone who would be happy to take that, mobility device. And so I think this really speaks to the need probably for free and affordable mobility devices, but also to the function of the email list server.
Carol Ventresca [:It it it's amazing how even though we keeps Talking about moving past email, it works.
Christine Happel [:It really does. I mean, I am in front of my computer for a a good portion of the day, and so, it makes it a functional way to respond to folks. And when requests For resources or an offer of resources go out, responses are often then sent to the whole email list server. And, you know, As members read those emails, they jump in with suggestions and ideas and resources or, you know, some other folks might feel comfortable also speaking up about a need. And in real time, you get to see that web of support form.
Carol Ventresca [:Good good point. It's in real time. We're doing this in real time, which is Huge in when people are in need of the person who got that mobility device probably was in desperate need. So so very good. Let's talk about how the the change happened. How was it that the roundtable was moved under the innovation center? And, tell us a little bit about, that support that the center is able to give to this organ this I don't wanna call it an organization, this concept.
Christine Happel [:Yeah. So each friendly can offer new effort towards nurturing this platform. We are not caught up in the daily pace of practice. When I had a caseload. I remember folks would say, oh, it'd be great if you did this, or you should start x y z or And it was always, I loved these hopes and dreams, but it wasn't always possible to implement things as I didn't have the time. And so Our role at Age Friendly is to, in part, be a mechanism of implementation, and we hope to be, both administrative and coordinating support, Manage some of those day to day tasks such as scheduling and coordinating meetings. Also, part of my role at Age Friendly involves participating on committees and working with elected officials and finding my way into spaces that don't always have an aging lens in their work and then adding that. So this also involves sharing about the roundtable and inviting folks into this network.
Christine Happel [:Age Friendly works really hard to elevate the voices of older adults and bring their wishes to life. And we try to be that spark plug, that a nice change, and the roundtable is the perfect vehicle, you could say. And The platform really parallels our work nicely.
Carol Ventresca [:I it sounds like the roundtable is really an educational, component to teach someone who hasn't had to be in the aging space And doesn't have any clue what the issues and and trials and tribulations are. Just by participating as an email member of the roundtable list, They're gonna learn a lot very quickly.
Christine Happel [:Truly. Truly.
Brett Johnson [:Yeah. So it's been in existence for now. Did you mention 10 years?
Christine Happel [: Since: Brett Johnson [:Wow. Wow. Okay. I guess I lost track of time. I knew it was back aways, but I'd forgotten
Carol Ventresca [:and started with, like, 12 people.
Brett Johnson [: y now for now you know, since: Christine Happel [:As I joined the team last September, we began planning what we called a listening tour, and the roundtable is really meant to be a member led group. So we wanted to use this moment in time this shift to check-in and hear from members. We distributed a survey, and members had the to provide input on meeting time, frequency, location, and format. We ask what types of information should be shared and what might interest, or what folks might be interested in sharing. We had 54 people complete that survey from over 30 agencies. And as a follow-up, we held 2 focus groups. Carol, I believe you got to attend.
Carol Ventresca [:I you know, I just realized that. I forgot that I had And that focus room. Yes.
Christine Happel [:It was well over a year ago now, so understand that.
Carol Ventresca [:I was gonna say it's been a while. Looks like I've been having fun since then or something.
Christine Happel [:Best case. And, you know, during these focus groups, we ask members talk about why we gather, about our identity and our purpose, and also what could be possible in the future. And so over the last, Years ago, we've been putting these reflections to work. On the survey, about a 100% of or not about. Exactly a 100% of Respondents requested that, meetings have either a plea preplanned agenda or be a bit of a hybrid between some structure and unstructured time. And so at meetings, we've held space for that intentional networking and have also added opportunities to participate in focus groups, spend time with directors of SCOA and CO triple a, and also receive new information from other folks in the community. And on the surveys, there was pretty mixed feedback about the preferences between in person and virtual meetings, so we've incorporated both of those formats sent to our, rotating meeting structure. And during the focus groups too, participants shared that the value of the roundtable really rests in having a space to talk about difficult challenges, in rem remaining coordinated so we don't use our precious resources on duplication, and then harnessing our collective knowledge to have impact.
Christine Happel [:And so really, demonstrated a desired, request for future opportunities to engage in advocacy and maybe be a little bit more action oriented. And so we'll have the challenge of kind of figuring out what that looks like, in the coming years.
Brett Johnson [:Were you surprised with any of the results?
Christine Happel [:No. Because I think I'd, you know, been attending roundtable meetings, and, of course, we had our pause during or not really a pause, but everything kind of changed during the pandemic. And so, while, you know, it's hard to predict sometimes what, we will all need in 5 years, we know that, especially at age friendly, we always have to be evolving. And so, you know, wanting something a little different and new wasn't surprising at all.
Carol Ventresca [:And I think To looking back in that focus group time period, we had gotten through the pandemic. We understood That we could be, efficient and effective doing Zoom type programming, and it was an incredible way to keep information flowing Because it was so critical for seniors during the pandemic. And, you know, again, shout out to CO triple a and Franklin County Aging and all the other organizations that Stepped up to the play to make sure that our older adults were taken care of during that really critical time.
Christine Happel [:Oh, it was I mean, it it's It may be bittersweet to say a beautiful time, but I really admire the way folks came together in Franklin County
Carol Ventresca [:to
Christine Happel [:take care of folks.
Carol Ventresca [:Yep. Absolutely. So, again, I keep kind of revolving around this notion of getting the word out. Communicating with older adult is very difficult. And it's not just whether they, have a cell phone or whether they know what the Internet is. It's just sometimes confusing, oftentimes hard for people to take make change. And we have all of these incredible resources and programs, but There's no guarantee that anybody's going to use them because you can't get that information out to this particular population. How has the innovation center provided supports in that key step of serving our older adults?
Christine Happel [:Yeah. Carol, this actually speaks to work the center is currently conducting. The Age Friendly Innovation Center has been hosting focus groups and Boring how older adults learn about trusted information, and we will continue to engage folks in conversations on this very topic and, Of course, be excited in the future to share what we learn and then help vision tools to improve how we are able to exchange information in a community. Anecdotally, I know that the word-of-mouth is a powerful communication tool. Sometimes the most trusted Sources of information are those in our own community. And for those, for which English is not their first language, sometimes this is their children. And so it may be, also about us as a network finding and connecting with various community advocates that will then use their own kind of Brand of magic to spread the word. And, again, I think the roundtable really provides a great platform for folks to come together and interact with others in the aging network as sometimes it's more powerful to be in a room with others.
Christine Happel [:Right? We've, been really able to elevate Our use of virtual platforms, but that in person, connection is is just so so precious. And there's, you know, always ways to open up the invitation to chair at roundtable meetings, and it's our hope that maybe older adults in the community will also feel welcome to attend as well. One of our favorite moments from this past year too, I have to say, is, we had a couple folks sit down at a meeting, and they were chatting together. And as they're chatting, they were like, oh, I I was emailing you earlier today, and they, like, right there in real time, could, you know, check off a couple pieces of business and, you know, put a face to an email.
Carol Ventresca [:Right. You know, it's it's so frustrating that scamming seniors, that information gets around somehow. If you wanna send out wrong information, it it hits the wires and everybody hears it. But to actually have real information about real resources and services of which we have immense amount in Central Ohio. Sometimes you just feel like you're talking to the brick walls around you, and it's very difficult. We used to do that With our with our agency, it was people would say, where were you 5 years ago when I needed a a job? You know? And now suddenly they We're able to find the agency and and get the help they needed. So
Brett Johnson [:Yeah. Well, we're guessing there are some other challenges to providing information to these older adults. Technology is likely the highest concern as well as funding. Has the center been able to assist in those concerns?
Christine Happel [: r community. According to the: Christine Happel [:Sure. If someone has a request and maybe they didn't land initially in the right space with that request, we know who to get them to. And Right. And so we use our tools of communication, kind of on behalf of older adults sometimes.
Brett Johnson [:And you kinda don't know what you don't know.
Christine Happel [:Exactly. Agree.
Carol Ventresca [:Yeah. Exactly.
Brett Johnson [:And take away the shame factor Or the well, what are you asking me about that? You know? Which we all expect, I guess, you know, when you talk about bureaucracy, We've always been fed that line back. You feel ashamed or, you know, you you just don't wanna, You know, you wanna stop that. You you want to be able to have that. Like you said, I love that term that, that that no wrong door. That's a good way of putting it.
Carol Ventresca [:Well and and that really, Showcases that it's not just communicating information that's known, but asking the questions that probably a lot of other people have And just hadn't asked the question.
Christine Happel [:Absolutely. And I think being so sensitive to the referral fatigue, sometimes it's Really hard to get bounced around from agency and organization and not finding an answer to your question. So I think sometimes having folks who are willing to step in and really answer those trickier questions is just so fabulous. Right.
Carol Ventresca [:Right. You know, in, Christine, in looking at what I learned while being involved with the roundtable, housing and transportation were not 2 topics I knew very much about. And since then, we've actually done some podcasts on those 2 topics. Your team has been able to tackle those issues too. Has the roundtable been a good tool in that process? And and tell us a little bit about what we're learning.
Christine Happel [: n needs are quite diverse. In: Christine Happel [:And, I will say, you know, if at the end of my career, we can say as a network, we collectively tackle the housing and transportation issues. Well, I'll be really set up to age in community, but I'll also feel really accomplished. And so I kind of loved This challenge too of, continuing to work on these issues.
Carol Ventresca [:And and so many individuals in the community Only look at housing and transportation from their own little tiny world, and the issues are immense. Different for young families with kids trying to get to school, for young workers who are trying to not only Find a job, but be able to get transportation to that job. And with seniors, I was sort of chuckling. We're talking about information and technology and health care. The MyChart system's great. But, boy, if you don't have an Internet connection and you don't have a computer, try to do MyChart on a phone. It's crazy. I can barely do it on my computer, let alone on a phone.
Christine Happel [:Or having to pop over to your local library or, you know, hop on a COTA bus to use Their Wi Fi and, you know, thinking about yeah. It's it's hard enough to maybe stay on top of those general life tasks that are really, really important to our health and well-being, to not to be able to or have to do that without Internet and computer access.
Carol Ventresca [:Right. Right.
Brett Johnson [:Yeah. Yeah. Well, Age Friendly Innovation Center is also at replication of successful aging programs, which could be created around the state. Now has anyone been able to utilize the roundtable as a model program in their regions of Ohio.
Christine Happel [:Certainly. Networking groups exist around the state, and and those are not new. I do think There's something really unique about the roundtable, its size, its utilization of different communication tools, our view that everyone and anyone is welcome to join, and, of course, our broad Scope of what aging entails is, you know, all unique pieces, and it would be really exciting to have other regions replicate this network. Age friendly is part of a national and global network of age friendly communities, and we also cochair a group, The Coalition of Age Friendly Communities of Ohio, and these networks are, ones we can use to champion the roundtable model for others to replicate.
Carol Ventresca [:I I would think it would be hard to replicate this because of the way it was created here. Number 1, Fran being, you know, the pillar of the community. Dave Paul taking a lead on doing everything that needed to be done technically and with Did that sort of backdoor role that he played was phenomenal. But, also, it's sort of the way Columbus nonprofits work, we do tend to work together and share resources and share information and, bring people out. And I remember, when Age Friendly was going strong and we had our job fair. And One of the issues for the for older adults in the workforce was getting a professional photograph for their LinkedIn page. Everybody was using these little tiny tiny with your camera on your phone picture, and we kept telling people to get professional, Photography. And so Katie and the team, the age friendly team, took care of our booth to get people Their professional photograph, and then she also got their permission to use those photographs in an age friendly project they were working on.
Carol Ventresca [:So it was a great way to bring everybody together. I think we had 250 people. I was
Brett Johnson [:Remember, he is what? In the 100. Oh, yeah. Yeah. It was It was busy all day long.
Carol Ventresca [:And and I have to say every one of those pictures was phenomenal.
Christine Happel [:They're so wonderful, and we still use them. That's something we really pride ourselves. We don't use stock photos in our And so the roundtable as well and having, you know, the real faces of our community represented is really, really important.
Carol Ventresca [:Right.
Christine Happel [:I think you did say it so so well, Carol. We this network, without Fran and Dave wouldn't have been
Carol Ventresca [:and,
Christine Happel [:they really set the stage for something phenomenal. And, I have the privilege of interacting with folks across the nation in in this work and try to be as humble as possible at just how fabulous our network here in Franklin County is. It is so collaborative, and, that's something a little there's some special ingredients there that, you know, you can't just buy at the store.
Carol Ventresca [:Right. Exactly. Because she didn't
Brett Johnson [:start they didn't start it. Just they didn't Was there there was no attitude of, well, just let it go, and we're not gonna touch it anymore. We're not gonna be a part of it. His friend was a part of it for years. And and still is, really. Really? And and the same time, if, you know, if anything went wrong, you you caught her wrath. Right. Yes.
Brett Johnson [:You know, honestly. So let you know. Right.
Carol Ventresca [:Right. But but we already had a an incredible team of leaders in the aging Community. Tony Carroll was at FCOA for that, Cindy Farson was at CO triple a. They already worked together, and they Put the sort of, I don't wanna say the support base for it, but really made sure everybody knew about it. And you've got the mayor saying do this. Now granted, he did give her any money to do it, but but it was it was, I don't wanna say a mandate, but it was a direction or a directive that really gave it credibility. And so we not only have The credibility, but then the camaraderie of everybody who already worked together.
Brett Johnson [:Well, Langston may not have had the money support, but they had the political sport, which the political support long way.
Carol Ventresca [:And the resources. When c o triple a and FCOA could could really do what needed to be done, then yeah. Yeah. It was there. Yeah.
Christine Happel [:So It's a a mandate I hope we can do justice too as we carry it forward, certainly.
Carol Ventresca [:Big big But My goodness.
Christine Happel [:These are clown sized shoes.
Carol Ventresca [:Yeah. Nice. So we've talked about all of the stuff that does exist In Central Ohio, I am guessing that there could be things that we really still need that don't exist or that there are services out there that are so underutilized because people don't know about them?
Christine Happel [:I love this question as I think this really speaks to what we hope to accomplish through the roundtable, making sure folks know about resources, programs, and other supports. Our network in Franklin County is robust like we talked about. And, you know, from my experiences as a social worker and from speaking with other social workers, I have the impression that perhaps it's not that services are underutilized, but maybe sometimes under resourced or just,
Carol Ventresca [:don't quite That's a given, Christine.
Christine Happel [: r evolving. And so throughout: Christine Happel [:And so I thought, well, this is just truly also really speaks to what the roundtable is.
Brett Johnson [: Right. Right. So we're in: Christine Happel [: d We plan to do that again in: Christine Happel [:Exactly. And And we also hope to continue meeting in shared community spaces and championing these great resources. We do intend to leave space to continue to evolve and Try try new things and maybe not have them be successful, but to celebrate the trying. This is really what it means to be an age friendly city, to convene folks, to learn about ever evolving needs, to try new strategies that are grounded in this pledge and the knowledge of professionals and to continue to move forward our way.
Carol Ventresca [:Exactly. Exactly. It it's, It it is an amazing, it's been an amazing adventure. And and I used to, as I said, sit in my office and read through emails and See the immediate work done with the roundtable with no real extra effort other than an email. Somebody needs a plumber. Somebody else has a plumber that will help. It it was just it's it's I I think it is an accomplishment that is, Underappreciated, under resourced, definitely, and and under Unknown. It people just don't know about the this the roundtable, and that's why we were so excited to have this conversation and talk more about what's going on.
Carol Ventresca [:Before I I ask you the last question, I'm gonna give my words of wisdom, and that is that If anybody is listening to this podcast and is an older adult, knows an older adult, is working with an older adult, Serves older adults. If you don't know what the roundtable is, you need to get involved. You you absolutely need to to, step up there and be willing to learn a lot about what the needs are in our community because needless to say, it the roundtable is well worth your effort. And I can't say that about a lot of organizations, needless to say. So I'll ask you my question now. We always provide our guests with an opportunity to give their last words of advice, Information we haven't shared yet today, something that may have just popped into your head. Tell us, Christine, what what would be, what do you think our audience needs to hear?
Christine Happel [:And I'll really kind of go along with your words as well, Carol, and, mine's maybe not Suggestion or advice, but an invitation, and this invitation to join a roundtable meeting, an invitation to continue to share resources, reach out, suggest a topic or activity for our meetings, engage members in a piece of advocacy, or Even just share something you're really excited about, a small win or a big win that you've had, you know, or a need that you're seeing arise in the community. And come join us and learn something new, meet someone new, and invite a friend, a colleague, older adult, someone from your neck network to come along with you.
Carol Ventresca [:Exactly. And and if you have a topic, Boy, that the the roundtable is always looking for opportunities. So if you're willing to come and talk about something, Perfect place. Thank wonderful. Thank you.
Brett Johnson [:Yeah. Well, many thanks to our age friendly and senior services roundtable expert, Kristine Happel, for joining us today. Thanks a lot. We appreciate you fitting us into your schedule. It's great. Listeners, thank you for joining us, and don't forget Check out our show notes on the website for contact information and the resources we've discussed today. You know, we talked a lot about, previous episodes that we Cover with Fran Ryan. You can do a search.
Brett Johnson [:We talked to Fran Ryan. We did episodes on the property tax, with, mister Stanziano, housing, transportation, Tons of other episodes that we've covered previously. Go back and listen to those as well too. You can find all that information at looking forward our way.com, And we are looking forward to hearing your feedback on this or any of our podcast episodes.
