Blog archive
April 2024
Stimulated by "Caste"
04/22/2024
Tulsa reparations, Religion and Politics
04/09/2024
March 2024
Trumps War with Black Women
03/31/2024
Addressing The Needs of Older Adults Through Pasadena Village
03/25/2024
Coming Soon: More Resources for Older Americans, Online and in Person
03/25/2024
Community Building Locally and Nationally
03/25/2024
Preparing for the Future with Ready or Not
03/25/2024
Volunteering is at The Heart of the Village
03/25/2024
Women's Liberation: Then and Now
03/25/2024
Writing Memoirs Together
03/25/2024
Current Views on Current Events
03/20/2024
Unchained
03/18/2024
Rumr of Humor issue # 2409
03/10/2024
Blacks Portrayed by European Artists
03/03/2024
Rumor of Humor #2408
03/03/2024
February 2024
Caring for Ourselves and Each Other
02/27/2024
Doug Colliflower Honored
02/27/2024
Great Decisions Connects Us to the Worldwide Community
02/27/2024
Letter from the President
02/27/2024
Pasadena Village's Impact
02/27/2024
The Power of Touch
02/27/2024
Villages as a New Approach to Aging
02/27/2024
Addressing Gang Violence in Pasadena-Altadena
02/21/2024
Rumor of Humor Issue 2407
02/19/2024
Thank You For Caring.
02/12/2024
Rumor of Humor 2405
02/11/2024
Curve Balls
02/10/2024
Sylvan Lane
02/10/2024
Rumor of Humor 2404
02/09/2024
Larry Duplechan, Blacks in Film
02/03/2024
January 2024
Pasadena Village Joins Community Partners in Vaccination Campaign
01/29/2024
Rumor of Humor #2403
01/28/2024
Pasadena Village Joins Two Healthy Aging Resource Projects
01/25/2024
Decluttering: Do It Now
01/24/2024
Village Volunteers Contribute to the Huntington Magic
01/24/2024
Villagers Creating Community
01/24/2024
Villagers Reflect on Black History Month
01/24/2024
Walk With Ease, 2024
01/24/2024
Wide Ranging Discussion on Current Issues
01/22/2024
Wide Ranging Discussion on Current Issues
01/22/2024
Rumor of Humor # 2402
01/21/2024
Rumor of Humor # 2401
01/15/2024
Re- Entry Programs, a Personal Experience
01/08/2024
Preparing for the Future with Ready or Not
By Julie CoveneyPosted: 03/25/2024
When I began my journey as a social work intern at Pasadena Village, I was unsure what my role would be. I was excited to be asked to join the Ready or Not committee to help create a program for advanced life planning.
I soon found out it is an area most Americans feel strongly about. In fact, 56% of Americans believe that having a will is important, yet only 33% of Americans actually have a will in place (legalzoom.com, 2024). One of the issues in getting started in the planning process can be the intimidating factor that one participant called “facing their fears.” However, one of the wonderful benefits of being a Villager is that you don’t have to face your fears or concerns alone.
With grant funding from the Pasadena Community Foundation, Pasadena Villagers created the Ready or Not program in order to face these concerns together! Ready or Not is a facilitated group workshop open to Pasadena Village members. The program currently consists of three in-person meetings, where participants have a chance to explore their end-of-life and future planning options in a safe and supportive environment.
Each participant receives a Ready or Not notebook that contains sections such as an inventory of one’s current living situation, important contacts, helpful definitions, community resources, and a to-do list. This allows participants to list “an inventory of their lives,” in areas such as the make-up and management of household tasks, finances, and health and medical issues. They can then consider any concerns or challenges in these areas. The next step is to consider some possible solutions for those concerns. If an unforeseen event happens, how could these things be adjusted? What are some options to consider? While there is no way to predict the future, this workshop may give some direction as inevitable changes occur.
The program is facilitated by two Pasadena Village members who have already completed their planning notebooks. They guide the conversation as members complete each section and answer questions along the way. Participants discuss topics, ask questions, and sometimes spark ideas that can be helpful to others in the workshop.
One of the benefits I witnessed is the group-meeting style of the workshops, which allows support from peers. Members can share their experiences and challenges with other Villagers as they go through the process. Although it can be stressful to think about one’s end-of-life plans, facing it along with others can take some of the pressure off. One member I spoke with said that knowing they would return for a second meeting made them feel more likely to continue to work on their notebook at home. They said they felt an accountability to the others in the group to complete more sections in their notebook.
Although it is a group workshop, members can go at their own pace. The program is designed to be flexible. Participants have time to fill out parts of it during the workshop and continue to work on other sections outside of meetings while at home.
Many of the attendees of our first Ready or Not workshop voiced a feeling of accomplishment for completing the meetings. They said they felt better prepared for the future as a result of the program. Overall, they felt the process of participating with others in the process was an incredibly valuable experience.