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Enter as Strangers, Leave as Friends
Why support CircleTalk?
Too often, as we age, our communities and social networks change and disintegrate. An AARP study found that 45% of older adults who had lived in a senior community less than a year reported feeling lonely. Chronic loneliness among seniors in our country is nothing less than a public health epidemic. Another study showed that older adults that report feeling lonely are up to 43% more likely to experience cognitive decline, dementia, depression, and death. Yet programs aimed at directly preventing and reducing the prevalence of loneliness are largely absent from senior residences and other places seniors gather.
At CircleTalk, we believe that human connection and community matter, no matter what stage of life. Our goal is create opportunities for engagement and belonging and disrupt the trend toward social isolation within this marginalized population: senior citizens. The CircleTalk Method facilitates person-to-person connection and social belonging through compelling, structured conversation.
With over 1000 hours of field-testing, our method has produced consistent and demonstrated success.
- CircleTalk participation is 100% for 12 week programs. This indicates a significant attachment to the program and to the individuals in the group.
- CircleTalk re-enrollment is 90% (for another 12 week program).
- CircleTalk satisfaction levels are at 95% (exit interviews scaled 1-5).
Our Impact
The CircleTalk Method and curriculum have been and field-tested and refined for over 6 years. During this time, and in over 1000 hours of direct in-group contact, we have touched the lives of over 300 older adults in senior residences and self-organizing groups.
We have published a full-year of non-repeating curriculum and trained over 30 new leaders to bring CircleTalk into the senior arena.
We are committed to continually expanding CircleTalk to a wider network of senior residences and community senior programs. The success we have seen so far motivates and inspires us, and we strive to improve the lives of seniors nationwide.
Your Donation
As a non-profit organization, we rely on your help.
CircleTalk operates under the fiscal sponsorship of PassageWorks Institute (a not-for-profit, tax-exempt, charitable organization under section 501c(3) of the Internal Revenue Service Code). 100% of your donation is tax-deductible.
Each dollar donated through this webpage will be used to help fund an initiative supporting CircleTalk programs in low-income and subsidized senior residences.
Your generous donation will also help us increase our reach and bring CircleTalk to many more older adults living in independent and assisted living communities and anywhere older adults tend to feel isolated and alone. Thank you for your support!
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sources:
http://www.aarp.org/research/topics/life/info-2014/loneliness_2010.html
http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/1188033
