Along with the usual homecoming fare of receptions, tours and talks, a couple dozen Oberlin College alumni headed over to Kendal at Oberlin on Oct. 11 to hear former classmates discuss “Aging Insights.”
On the panel were Jed Johnson and Abe Feingold, both from the Class of 1980, and Tina Graf, Class of 1974.Like many other Oberlin College alumni, Abe and Tina are also Kendal residents. In fact, 37% of Kendal residents are alumni or former faculty and staff.
Here’s what the three panelists (pictured above) had to say.
“The goal is to increase your health span, not your life span,” said Jed, who worked 40+ year in aging services and is currently a CARF accreditation surveyor based in Maryland. (Kendal at Oberlin has received this voluntary “Seal of Approval” since 1997.)
Jed talked about the importance of creating a life that touches on all eight domains of well-being: physical, emotional, social, occupational, financial, spiritual, intellectual and environmental.
For those who want to “age in place,” Jed said issues to consider are nearby transportation options if you are unable to drive, space for a live-in caregiver and accessibility concerns such as stairs.
He provided several aging in place resource links (see below) and other options, such as Kendal at Home, and urged audience members to visit Assisted Living facilities before an emergency arises.
Tina’s mother lived happily at Kendal for a decade so when Tina started thinking about retirement she recalled her many visits to Kendal and conversations with residents, including one who said, “living at Kendal is like being in graduate school.
When Tina moved to Kendal in 2017 she was 65 years old and still working. “I came early” she said (the average age at Kendal admission is 75) , and is glad she did, listing many non-work activities that have kept her busy over the years.
Her current project is matching 10 Kendal residents with 10 Oberlin College students for an intergenerational exchange.
“For the right person I believe that Kendal can actually serve as a fountain of youth,” she says.
Abe loved his time as an Oberlin College student so returning to Oberlin for his later years was almost like a dream come true.
“The people at Kendal are warm and bright and progressive and care about the things I care about. I feel very proud and happy to be among them,” says Abe, who moved to Kendal last year.
He says he’s also happy to be living in a retirement community that is strong financially. Kendal’s A+ rating was recently reaffirmed by Fitch and is one of just four life plan communities to achieve this highest rating.
Growing old in a life plan community is a perfect fit for him. “I have longevity on both sides and I’m a singly gay man,” he says.