Posted by Kathy Bakkenist, Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice President of Strategy and Operations

Recently I blogged about several intergenerational focus groups we recently did of members of the Baby Boom Generation, Silent Generation and Greatest Generation.

How would you answer this question?: If you could create your ideal future, how would you describe it?Here are answers from our focus group participants:- Close friends nearby, a strong sense of community.- Comfort, safety, good health.- Balance of being independent and having a community around you.- Stimulating community that allows me to expand my horizons as I age.- Friends, health. But I want some key things to be easy – computer repair, plumbing problems, etc.- Lots of things I can walk to. To live a pedestrian life.- Health and vitality.- Health support, so even if I’m at home there are resources I can tap into – like coming home from the hospital and not having to go to assisted living.- Friendships, connections with people.- An environment that fosters friendships and connectedness.- Continuous learning.- Staying in my home, being healthy and vitality.- Living in a community that’s working toward the common good. Companions and resources readily available.- Not having to reinvent the wheel. Being able to ask someone for advice who can direct me to resources.Good health.- Living where I am now.- Having the same neighbors in my building.- Six months here, six months in a warm climate.- Knowing all the neighbors in my building.- Sense of neighborhood.- Good restaurants and grocery store.- Less car dependent.- Ongoing learning/educational opportunities.- Be in a safe community where you feel comfortable on the streets.- Youth, age diversity (many nods)- Neighborhood gatherings.It’s fascinating how often ‘community’ pops up in responses. In aging services we’ve traditionally been so focused on the ‘medical model.’ Those that are the best companies will be those who listen to what their customers want and deliver it. I love one of the statements from another focus group member who said, ‘It is not about aging. It is about building communities and people helping each other.’