Age Friendly Tucker: Social Participation Connects You to the Community Dr. Lois Ricci The past fifteen months has redefined how we engage in social interaction, with so much of our participation occurring in the virtual world. Post-COVID, we now have to once again redefine how we interact with each other. While there is no clear definition of social participation, there are few people who could not tell you how a lack of it affects them. Most say their life has been negatively affected by the virus outbreak and some say looking at life before the pandemic is like looking in a time capsule. COVID has driven dramatic shifts in jobs, eating habits, childcare, and even a sense of time, with many of us even having trouble remembering what day it is. Over the past year, COVID has separated us from routine, activities and events that were planned and often eagerly anticipated. Normally busy people adapted to technology and found that daily time went by quickly. But those already experiencing loneliness and boredom before the pandemic now felt time slowing down which only exacerbated their depression. Recent surveys have shown many people have become more introspective over the past months. People remember 9/11 as traumatic at the time but for many the pandemic has completely turned lives around. We can only hope that the thoughtfulness and consideration that we saw during these last fifteen months will remain and we will more clearly define social participation. The Tucker Civic Association Lifelong Community Committee Age Friendly City Action Plan identified Tucker’s opportunities for social participation as a prominent part of socialization. Kathy Forster, the committee lead for this domain, listed the many activities and programs in Tucker that promote social participation. These provide emotional wellbeing, laughter and connectivity and lend a sense of meaning and belonging for all residents. The city has
hobbies, community events, volunteer activities, clubs and organizations for all ages, religion, community publications and sports. Many Tucker residents are unaware of the many programs and activities that are available here for all ages. The Tucker Rec Center offers pottery and woodworking classes, bridge, canasta and mahjong groups, as well as exercise and dance classes. The churches and the library offer book clubs, educational programs and social events. Lunches are served monthly for older adults at several of the churches in addition to their many social and civic projects. There are garden clubs, singles clubs, support groups and special interest groups. For singers, there is the Tucker Community Singers (based at First Christian Church of Atlanta but open to everyone). For civic and business interests, there are the Tucker Civic Association Lifelong Community Committee, the Optimist Club, Rotary Club of Tucker, the Lion’s Club and the Tucker Business Association, to mention just a few. Social participation can take several different forms. It is a prominent part of an initiative to involve and engage people in our community however they want to be involved. You can read the entire Age Friendly City Action Plan at tuckercivic.org/age-friendly-tucker. Or Google your particular interest in Tucker – I guarantee you will find a group that will welcome you to join! Dr. Lois Ricci is a longtime resident of Tucker, where she chairs the Tucker Civic Association Lifelong Community Committee. She serves as an adjunct faculty member at Kennesaw State University, where she teaches gerontology courses and the Professional Development in Gerontology Certificate Class. Ricci also serves as an official representative for American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), co-facilitator for the Rosalyn Carter CareNet, and on the board of the Atlanta Regional Commission Advisory Committee on Aging.
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