“Resilient communities leverage the interconnectedness of housing, health, education, civic engagement, and socio-economic opportunities, etc.” Noël Bonam, Maine State Director ~ AARP.

Lifelong, Thriving and Resilient Communities: Understand and Building Relationships the Inn Along the Way’s fourth and final Summer 2024 Challenging Community Conversation will connect the dots between this summer’s topics “affordable housing, caregiving and caregivers and the social drivers of health as they relate to contemporary challenges facing our communities. Join us for an interactive discussion under the guidance Noël Bonam, Maine State Director ~ AARP, who practices collaborative and facilitative leadership, which is taking place in the Long Barn at the IAW’s Chapman Farm, 741 Main Street in Damariscotta, Maine on Sunday, Sept. 29 at 3 p.m.

While Community Resilience is the sustained ability of any community to use available infrastructure and other resources to respond to, withstand, and recover from adverse situations, either man-made or natural disasters, it is the community’s ability to recognize and leverage the interconnectedness of this key resources, existing frameworks and community strengths that drive resilience. This allows for the adaptation and growth of a community after disaster strikes. Communities that are resilient are able to minimize any type of disaster, making the return to normal life as effortless as possible. By implementing a community resilience plan, that is developed by diverse stakeholders while keeping marginalized members of the community at the core of all planning conversations, a community can come together and overcome any disaster, while rebuilding physically and economically.

Another approach to building resilient communities is to proactively embrace the Eight Domains of Livability framework , which is used by many of the towns, cities, counties and states across the county to organize and prioritize their work to become more livable for residents of all ages. While some communities tackle all eight domains at once, others choose to focus on fewer or combined domains. This approach builds the community’s resilience in a comprehensive manner and is able to tackle gaps and barriers in a thoughful manner, therefore fortifying the preparedness of communities which is equally important.

The IAW’s thought provoking “connecting the dots towards livability, thriving and resilient communities ” conversation promises to be insightful, engaging, while challenging conventional wisdom and shedding light on how we can be instrumental and proactive so that we and our neighbors can age well within community. Changing perspectives and mindsets can help each of us think about and plan for a better future.

Connect with members of your and our community on Sept. 29 as guest speaker and facilitator Noël Bonam, who is committed to stakeholder engagement and empowerment, long-term sustainability and dialogue for action, encourages you through stories, words and creative thinking to discuss and respond to questions such as:

What brought you to this place in your life and what have you discovered?

What perspectives, challenges about living in community do you wish to share today?

What can we do as individuals so that our community becomes more livable for each of us and residents of all ages?

What actions can we take within our community to change the narrative and local outcomes for us and for others?

Come, listen and learn more about the eight domains of livability: outdoor spaces and buildings; transportation; housing; social participation; respect and social inclusion; civic participation and employment; communication and information; and community support and health services and their impact on your life.. Tell us what’s on your mind as we continue to build healthy relationships with our environment by providing community members with an opportunity for self-reflection, exploration and sharing conversations in a welcoming and safe environment.

Noël Bonam is the Maine State Director for AARP and in that role serves as the primary liaison to Maine’s Members of Congress and helps steer the state plan for Maine for advocacy, outreach and engagement. Even though Noël has attended reputed institutions such as Osmania University in Hyderabad (India), Harvard Kennedy School in Cambridge and Cornell University in New York, as a lifelong learner he attributes most of his lessons to his travels around the world. If he were not in there public service or social justice sphere, he thinks he would have wanted to become a master luggage organizer! In fact, he would lobby for the fine art of luggage organizing to become an Olympic Sport. He loves to cook and he also loves to eat (those he cannot decide which he loves more)! In his free time, he likes to paint, walk and follow public affairs from around the world.

IAW’s mission is to create a collaborative community offering older adults, and those seeking temporary relief from the responsibilities of caregiving, an environment of support, purpose, and sustainability in a multigenerational and mutually interdependent setting (www.innalongtheway.org). FMI: Sherry Flint (207-751-6261) sherry@innalongtheway.org..

To make a donation: https://www.innalongtheway.org/contribute or mail a check to: IAW, P.O. Box 1133, Damariscotta, ME 04543.