Palisades Alliance for Seniors grew out of a small group that started meeting in 2014 to discuss ways to provide support and enhance community for older people here in Pacific Palisades. The 2010 census identified 1,414 Palisadians—six percent of the population—aged 80 or greater. Notably, a full 20 percent of the population was 65 or over, suggesting that the present concern will soon become a wider one as baby boomers join the ranks of the elderly.
Most seniors hope to stay on in their own homes as they age, but as we grow older, we begin to recognize the challenges involved for those who are frailer, who may have stopped driving, and who have lost dear friends or loved ones.
A social life seems to come organically when you are a young family. Through work, community involvement and children’s play dates and activities, we meet other parents and peers, and form lifelong friendships. But when the kids are out of the house, and as we age, it’s harder to find parallel opportunities.
The same things that make the Palisades so attractive to active young families—big lots, privacy, remoteness— work against us when we find it harder to get around. Public transportation is limited and inadequate. There is no senior center.
Palisades Alliance for Seniors is an advocate and a source of connection for older people in the community. Will you help us with a small donation in early 2018?
Since we formalized our structure in the spring of 2016, we have completed the following activities:
- Started a twice-monthly speaker series at the library, with 37 speaker programs completed so far. Attendance has grown steadily, to the point that it is now nudging up against the room’s 75-person capacity.
- Conducted a forum on transportation options for seniors who don’t drive.
- Initiated a partnership with Palisades High School to connect seniors and high school students for one-on- one technology tutoring.
You can help by giving to our support campaign. Donate by visiting: palisadesalliance.org, or mail checks to: Palisades Alliance for Seniors, P.O. Box 1082, Pacific Palisades 90272. We will acknowledge all donations with a letter for your tax records, as our organization is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt charity.
Thank you for your support of Palisades Alliance for
Seniors in making the Palisades a welcoming place in which to age. For more information, visit http://www.palisadesalliance.org.
Karen Stigler,
Chair, Palisades Alliance for Seniors
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