Getting older can be challenging. Many may assume that the challenge is physical health. Although this can be true, medicine and modern technology have allowed people to live longer than ever. The new challenge is providing this population with a way to stay connected and engaged in their lives.
The Census Bureau estimates that approximately 29.2% of the Walnut Creek population is over 65 years old, a large proportion of whom may be disconnected due to retirement, living far from family, or other reasons.
The Village Movement, a coalition of grassroots community organizations known as villages, helps the elderly build a sense of community and age gracefully. In Walnut Creek, the soon-to-be-launched Mount Diablo Village aims to increase the quality of life for these older residents.
Ellen Osmundson, the woman behind Mount Diablo Village, says it is a place where "any senior citizen is welcome to pull up a chair. There is always room.” The organization's four main branches — exercising, learning, connecting, and supporting — are the four legs that hold up the Mount Diablo Village table. These categories often lean on each other, such as their recent “Smell the Roses Walk” event, where citizens met up, took a walk, and received a rose to take home. This event combines both exercise and socialization, as residents make new friends while getting some steps in.
Learning is another vital branch that connects to Mount Diablo Village's overall mission. Keeping the brain sharp through learning helps prevent the hippocampus, a part of the brain, from shrinking, which minimizes the risk of cognitive decline or dementia. Other ways to prevent this include exercising and socializing. Mount Diablo Village’s holistic approach will not only improve the health of senior citizens but also enhance their quality of life. Plus, staying in their own homes instead of living in a retirement care home gives seniors extra comfort and familiarity in their space and daily routine.
Ellen says it takes a village to care for others. “Many know this saying about raising a child. But do we know it also takes a village to care for the people on the other end of the age spectrum?”
The organization is looking for volunteers to help out, mostly with simple tasks like assisting an elderly person with transportation or performing basic handyman chores.
Ellen isn’t a stranger to volunteering, either. Before her Mount Diablo Village endeavor, she was on the board for the Diablo Symphony Orchestra, a non-profit orchestra that struggled at the beginning of the pandemic. Ellen quickly seized an opportunity to celebrate the orchestra’s 60th anniversary, which helped the non-profit restore confidence and excitement.
When she learned that Mount Diablo Village, originally known as Walnut Creek Village, existed some eight to nine years earlier and was discontinued in 2019, she decided to devote her time to bringing it back. With the help of members and leaders from Clayton Valley Village and Lamorinda Village, she put together a team to make Mount Diablo Village a reality for older residents in Walnut Creek.
Although Ellen was initially interested in continuing her work with music by starting after-school programs for underserved children, she ultimately shifted her focus to Mount Diablo Village. “There is an urgency to pay more attention to seniors as they worked very hard when they were young,” she said. “Giving them the respect and appreciation they deserve is the least we can do to thank them.”
Join Mount Diablo Village as a senior or as a volunteer by visiting Mountdiablovillage.org