| Seniors
Bowling Green: A Winning Community for Retirees!
by Marybeth Hunt
There is no doubt that Bowling Green is a
wonderful community for seniors and retirees.
In fact, Forbes magazine recently named
Bowling Green one of the 25 Best Places to
Retire in 2014! Forbes selected Bowling Green
because of our strong economy, a cost of living
6% below the national average, an average
home price of $138,000, a warm climate, and a
low crime rate. Another plus for retirees is that
Bowling Green is a college town which means
seniors, they also often said that they did not
hear about many of these opportunities until
after they had happened! The committee,
therefore, set out to find ways to make sure
senior citizens had a better “early awareness
system” so that they could find out about
events and opportunities in plenty of time to
make plans to participate.
Last Fall the Senior Events Committee began distributing copies of the Senior Events
Calendar at local Kroger stores and learned
that the senior community in Bowling
Green loved the idea! Pictured here left to
right are Betty Lah, Carol Gard, and BJ McKenzie.
exciting cultural and educational opportunities
are available for community residents.
Brad Cannon of Home Instead Senior Care (second from left) received the inaugural Agefriendly Awareness Award in 2013. From left are Bowling Green Mayor Bruce Wilkerson,
Cannon, Dr. Dana B. Bradley and WKU President Dr. Gary Ransdell.
Even before Forbes gave Bowling Green a rave
review, active seniors in the area were hard at
work making things even better. Under the
leadership of Dr. Dana Bradley of WKU Aging,
a successful effort was made to have our
community become part of the World Health
Organization’s Age Friendly Cities Project. As
a result, Bowling Green was one of the first
seven cities in the United States and the only
city in the south selected to participate in this
world-wide effort to improve life for seniors.
Having been selected by the World Health
Organization, WKU Aging, AARP and the City
of Bowling Green began collaborating in an
effort called “Age-Friendly Bowling Green.” This
project seeks to make Bowling Green a better
place to grow older by asking individuals,
groups and businesses in the community how
policies and practices can be changed to make
the city even more inclusive of older adults
and more sensitive to their needs. “Community
Conversations” were held throughout the area
in 2012 and 2013, and a report is currently
being prepared which will summarize the
ideas and suggestions that were collected.
However, one idea came up so often that
a group of area seniors decided to form a
committee and get right to work on making
it happen. While many people had indeed
commented on all that our city has to offer
The Senior Events Committee with the
assistance and support of WKU Aging
and WKU Gerontology students began by
compiling a calendar of events for seniors and
distributing it at Kroger on Senior Discount
Day. The events included on the calendar cater
to a variety of interests and needs, including
computer classes, book discussion groups,
bingo, informational meetings, free medical
screenings, senior exercise programs and
many other events geared toward seniors.
The monthly calendar can now be found on
the WKU Aging website, and the committee
plans on distributing it to local churches and
other public locations frequented by seniors.
Get your copy of the current senior event
calendar by going to www.wku.edu/aging/
seniorevents. If you do not have a computer
or would prefer a printed copy of the calendar,
please call 270-745-3177 and we will be happy
to send you a copy.
Our thanks to SOKY Happenings Magazine
for giving us the opportunity to feature the
events, organizations and activities that
make Bowling Green a “Forbes Favorite” and
a great place for senior living! We would also
like to extend another very special thanks
to Home Instead Senior Care. Home Instead
was the winner of the inaugural Age-Friendly
Awareness Award for their age-friendly
initiatives that go above and beyond their
requirements for normal business operations.
Home Instead’s sponsorship of our page is yet
another example of their commitment to the
well-being of seniors!
About the Author:
Marybeth Hunt is Coordinator of Community
Outreach & Advising, WKU Aging.
WE NEED YOUR HELP!
OUR NEW SOKY PAGE NEEDS A GREAT NAME.
PLEASE GIVE US YOUR SUGGESTIONS IN AN E-MAIL TO
aging@wku.edu
OR WITH A PHONE CALL TO
270-745-3177
THE PERSON WHO SUBMITS THE WINNING NAME WILL
RECEIVE A $50 GIFT CARD FROM
MELLOW MUSHROOM!
WE REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU!
52
happenings.com
May 2013