On February 7th, Ten at the Top’s Upstate Senior Issues group reconvened for their first session of the new 2019 Senior Issues Workshop Series.
In September of 2018, the Ten at the Top Senior Issues group convened to discuss goals for 2019. It was determined that 
moving forward, that this group must be more intentional with their approach to address senior needs collectively. After much conversation, the group decided to move forward with topic-focused meetings that address the top senior needs in our region.
The Appalachian Council of Governments proposed that the group utilize data from their 2018 Senior Needs Assessment, which was conducted in early fall. It was agreed that these topic-focused workshops seek to address the most pressing senior needs that were identified in this assessment. The workshop series will address topics such as food access, transportation, and senior household needs.
The first session was surrounding lifelong learning opportunities in the Upstate. Lifelong learning is an important topic of discussion because studies show that those who are well connected to family, friends, and community are happier and physically healthier, and they live longer than those who are less connected.
Nancy Kennedy from OLLI at Furman led a panel discussion, which included panelists:
- Jack Hansen, Author, Speaker, OLLI member
- Andrea Smith, Executive Director & CEO, Senior Action
- Morgan Jordan, Director, Lifelong Learning at Wofford College
The group engaged in a thoughtful dialogue about lifelong learning and other social engagement opportunities available in the Upstate. They also talked about the challenges of reaching parts of the senior population with these opportunities.
Some of the many opportunities available in these ten counties of the Upstate are:
- OLLI@Clemson
- OLLI@Furman
- Senior Action
- Lifelong Learning at Wofford
- Lifelong Learning Institute at Anderson University
- Lakelands Lifelong Learning Network in Greenwood
- Community Centers/Senior Centers in many communities
- Those 60 and older can audit courses at no charge at state colleges, universities, and technical schools.
The goal of these discussions is to raise more awareness than ever before of our seniors in the Upstate and the issues they face on a daily basis. The workshop series is sponsored by Upstate Home Care Solutions and the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
To get involved or attend a workshop please contact Adelyn Nottingham at: anottingham@tenatthetop.org
