Editorial

Participation the key to grass-roots effort

The town's official policy on a senior center is that the community doesn't need one. Officials say--with justification--that without a demonstrated need, it would be a waste of resources to create a comprehensive senior program under one roof--something that other cities throughout the county have.

Because the town's older residents are not complaining about the lack of a senior center, say town officials, it's clear that they're satisfied with the current level of service.

Since our cover story on senior programs in Los Gatos ran on June 30, there has been some discussion about the question we posed--would the older residents of Los Gatos be better served by a dedicated senior center and staff than by the current program, which parcels out money to nonprofit agencies to meet different aspects of senior needs?

We think the answer is yes.

One Los Gatan who agrees is Jack Orlove. In a letter to the editor, he offered to help mobilize both seniors and non-seniors to explore the issue and present it to the town. He's held one meeting and another is planned for Sept. 8 at 1 p.m. in the Neighborhood Center, 208 E. Main St.

But he's a little frustrated that there hasn't been as much participation as he had hoped.

One reason is that many of Los Gatos' resourceful seniors have chosen to participate in senior programs in other communities where coordinated, comprehensive programs do exist. We hope some of these Los Gatans will attend the Sept. 8 meeting to explain why they travel to senior centers in other communities.

The more elderly residents are likely unwilling to get involved in the rigors of grass-roots organizing, and, of course, the elderly are notoriously afraid of upsetting the applecart.

Orlove says that what the effort needs more than anything is an infusion of younger adults--those concerned more at this point with a senior center for their parents than for themselves.

This makes sense. Would a teen center ever have come to fruition if only teens had been involved?

In addition to the town's official stance that a senior center is not needed, officials also dismiss the notion by suggesting that there's no way to fund it.

Obviously, this is a question that would have to be answered eventually. At this point in the discussion, however, it makes more sense to gather information and brainstorm than to try to figure out how to overcome roadblocks.

Full-service senior centers offer a broad range of recreational and educational opportunities as well as nutrition programs and assistance with legal and health insurance issues--under one roof. Most importantly, however, senior centers provide a central gathering place for older adults whose lives, as they age, become increasingly characterized by loss and isolation.

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