One in five (22%) of Virginia Baby Boomers have a parent, stepparent or older relative that they or someone in their household cares for or helps to provide care for. Source: 2008 Older Dominion Project Residents' Study
Members/Partners
Member Profiles
Name: Saphira M. Baker
Title: Principal
Company/Organization: Communitas Consulting
ODP Member Since: July 31, 2008
ODP Committee Affiliation: Civic Engagement Work Group
Summarize your professional background relevant to Age Wave preparedness.
As Chair of the Civic Engagement and Boomer Work Group, I had the pleasure of working with a dynamic and productive group of people, convened by The Community Foundation and the Older Dominion Partnership, to help our community tap the energy and talents of a group of older adults who want to contribute in the community. Their resulting research and symposium was phenomenal: it hit a chord in the nonprofit community, as evidenced by the turnout and enthusiasm at the Symposium on Boomers and Civic Involvement held March 26, 2009. Residents also came out in force for the Public Square on Volunteerism held on March 10, 2009 by the Richmond Times-Dispatch where the research was highlighted and panelists gave their best ideas about how to engage older adults.
Communitas has also provided technical assistance, guidance and facilitation to the regional Area on Aging agency as it prepared for the Age Wave with community partners. At the City of Richmond, where I was Deputy CAO for Human Services, I established the City’s first Senior Advocate’s Office to help older adults find municipal resources – from emergency services to affordable housing to social services and recreation. As director of the Charlottesville-Albemarle Commission on Children and Families, our office participated in JABA’s 2020 plan where we focused on bringing the generations together. Convening stakeholders to plan for the future and putting services on the ground where they are needed has always been part of my work.
What expertise or other strengths do you bring to the Older Dominion Partnership?
I love what happens when diverse groups come together and find they have common ground. My strengths include the ability to bring stakeholders together to forge solutions, to offer up concrete tools for implementing community-wide initiatives and measuring the results, and helping leaders get traction and community investment from their plans. My background in human services, community planning, and experience in the nonprofit and public sectors in Virginia informs my work and allows me to coordinate the many sectors that are critical for a community vision to take root locally.
What do you believe are the most pressing issues in Age Wave-preparedness in Virginia today?
Over 85% of older residents in Greater Richmond say they want to stay in their homes as they age. Since so many of these Boomers also want to help out in their communities through community service, this provides a tremendous resource to local neighborhoods. At the same time, as Boomers age, communities will need flexible and affordable health care and caregiver resources to allow older residents to age in place. Keeping older adults engaged in the social and community life of neighborhoods, while assuring access to quality health care are key issues.
What advice do you have for age wave planning in Virginia?
Involve local government and continuously engage residents. Write down what works and create a document that communities can consult and adapt for their use.