Changing Aging Blogs
[Is your blog changing aging? Let us know at changingaging AT gmail DOT com]
- Ageless Marketing
- A Little Red Hen
- Better Than I Ever Expected
- Boomers
- Cab Drollery
- Duplex Planet
- EChronicles
- Ecumen's Changing Aging Blog
- EdlerAbuse.org
- Elder Law Issues
- Elder Storytelling Place
- Embodied Aging
- Global Ageing Network Blog
- Maya's Granny
- O'Folks
- Real Sage Advice
- Remembering Matters
- The Boomer Chronicles
- The Savvy Boomer
- The Story of Stuff
- Time Goes By
- Women's Voices for Change
Politics
- Daily Kos
- Grasping Reality
- The Huffington Post
- Talking Points Memo
- Think Progress
- The Washington Monthly
Media & Culture
- CJR Daily
- FAIR's Media Views
- FuturePundit
- Infomaniac: Behind the News
- Social Media
- Romenesko
- Truemors
Health & Science
News
Changing Aging Books
Search
Recent Posts
- ChangingAging.org Redesign -- Please Bookmark!
- Disaster in Buffalo
- Power Up Friday
- Blanchard WinsDays
- Kevin Frick writes...
- Monkhouse Monday
- Getting Closer!
- Blanchard WinsDays
- Power Up Friday
- My Pick for Health and Human Services
- Understanding Health Care Reform
- Facts Are Stubborn Things: Social Security Edition
- Monkhouse Monday
- Localism is Coming
- Krugman Can't Wait...
Recent Comments
Category Archives
- AGING 100
- Aging
- Culture
- Dementia
- Eden Alternative
- Erickson School
- Green House
- Health Policy
- Longevity
- Media
- Rockets
Monthly Archives
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
- August 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- February 2008
- January 2008
- December 2007
- November 2007
- October 2007
- September 2007
- August 2007
Subscribe to this blog's feed
Blog Data
« Against Declinism | Main | Parens Patriae and Surplus Safety »
December 12, 2008 |Permalink |Comments (0)
The Art and Artifacts of Change
Our world is shifting from one that idolizes adulthood towards one that understands and embraces elderhood. We don’t have a choice because our society is aging more rapidly than ever before. Surely we could take the comfortable road to superficial change. Artifacts are only as good the values and norms they represent (like a mission statement collecting dust or wallpaper that doesn’t change behavior or the pets that come to visit once a week). These represent concrete, visual artifacts that are not guided by values and norms. But we have other ideas for change…
Example: The Ericksonville Community Intentional Library decided it wanted to be more user-friendly for their community elders.
Values (Language)
All staff, volunteers and community members participated in a discussion about what they wanted their library to be. The result was new mission and values statements that reflected their well intentions.
Norms (Behaviors)
The library staff created policies and procedure for the employees, a customer service credo and code of conduct for users.
Artifacts (Symbols)
To put their words and behaviors into action, they renovated – added ramps, improved lighting, lowered the shelves and widened the aisles. They also purchased touch screen computers, large print books and books on tape. They also created a community room for book clubs, discussions and such with universally friendly furniture .