Changing Aging

DARTS (Dakota Area Resources and Transportation for Seniors) has been a godsend for Dakota County (Minnesota) seniors in helping them stay independent.

Now they’re looking at baby boomers . . . not just to serve them, but so that the larger community benefits from their skills and expertise as volunteers as we face the age wave.

According to a recent newsletter by the University of Minnesota Humphrey Institute, DARTS, a suburban provider of transportation, home health, and other senior services is working on studying the impact of the baby boom generation on nonprofit organizations.

Doing that work is Arleta Little, the first recipient of the Dick Graham/DARTS Fellowship for Studies in Nonprofit Leadership. Arleta is a consultant and a Master of Public Affairs student at the Humphrey Institute.

While baby boomers may someday be clients of DARTS, their immediate potential is a huge pool of volunteers.

Arleta is analyzing the organization’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats as it positions itself as a place where boomers can become more connected to their community.

Says DARTS board member Gary DeCramer, “We’re at a unique moment with the Baby Boom generation,” says DeCramer. “These are people who were raised on John F. Kennedy and the idea of serving your country, but they may have gotten away from that.” DARTS wants to be “as aggressive as we can at creating opportunities for service in Dakota County.”

Kudos to DARTS for taking on this project. It is one that others in senior housing and services can benefit from.