Do You Live in an Age/Disability Friendly Community?

Along with my work with CLASS (www.classcommunity.org) and the Interdependence Network (www.buildingsocialcapital.org), I currently serve as board president for SWPPA (Southwestern PA Partnership on Aging, www.swppa.org). SWPPA is the preeminent advocacy organization in western PA on aging issues, and recently we received a generous grant from the Hillman Foundation to promote an Age/Disability Friendly Community (AFC) initiative in our community.

AFC was launched a number of years ago by the World Health Organization (WHO) to encourage cities, communities, and municipalities to promote the macro tenants necessary to an inclusive and welcoming community. In their efforts the WHO identified 8 domains that are critical to inclusion and hospitality.  These 8 domains include: 1) Community Space, 2). Health Services, 3). Communication and Information, 4). Civic Participation, 5). Housing, 6). Social Participation, Respect, and Inclusion, 7). Outdoor Spaces and Building, 8). Transportation.  The WHO contends that if a community scores high in benchmarks related to these 8 domains, it can be approved as an AFC.

A number of major cities around the world have embraced the AFC initiative and have received designation from the World Health Organization, including cities such as NYC, Sydney, Seattle, Portland, Atlanta, London and others. Our goal is to get Pittsburgh on this list.

And so what about your city or community. Do you think it would fair well in the 8 domain areas for elders and individuals with disabilities who live there? More, what might you think about doing to help your community be more Age/Disability friendly?

It is important to remember, that the next 20 years will see the greatest growth of elders in the United States.  As many of these "baby boomers" age, they will also experience disabilities. It is imperative that our communities get ready, and become more age/disability friendly.  And, at some point this will be relevant to you!

Do You Practice "Satisficing?"

As I continue to recuperate from my hip replacement surgery, I am finding that daytime TV has begun to lower my IQ. To ward off these ill effects, I have turned to do more reading and just started a book titled; "The Organized Mind" by the noted cognitive theorist, Daniel Levitin.

The book blends cognitive theory with the impact of information overload. Levitin writes about how information continues to grow, and our digital access becomes more and more sophisticated, how this overload can negatively affect our lives.

In the book he proposes many strategies and actions we can take to better manage this information, and one strategy he describes is "satisficing."  Its actually a term coined by the Nobel Prize winner Herbert Simon that relates to when something is not perfect, but good enough. He states that "satisficing" is one of the foundations of productive human behavior; it prevails when we don't waste time trying to find improvements that are not going to make a significant difference in our happiness or satisfaction.

An example of "satisficing" is found for most of us when we clean our homes. We do all the things necessary to make our houses cleaner, but they are never perfectly clean. If we wanted our homes to be perfectly clean we would never finish the task of cleaning. But when we determine that our cleaning effort is "good enough" we are deferring to "satisficing."

I know as a writer, I am often never satisfied, and that when I reread my work, I know I can always improve. But, at some point, I have to put the manuscript down and say, this could be better, if I had more time, but for now it is good enough. This is "satisficing" at work.

So as you make decisions on things in this age of information overload, think about the process of "satisficing." Things could always be better, but at some point you have to finish the task and get on with your life.

Caregiver Magic

All of my career as a disability advocate, I have provided direct care supports for people with disabilities. In the early years this support was merely getting people into the community.  In this pre-ADA environment, and especially in a city as hilly and inaccessible as Pittsburgh, we had to lug, lift, and carry folks into settings where engagement could occur.

As accessibility improved, it was easier to get people into the community, but caregiver supports were (and are) still necessary.  Making sure folks could fully participate included helping with meals, eating, and getting bathroom supports.  I remember flying to an out of town conference with a friend with cerebral palsy and midway to our destination he needed to use the bathroom. Imagine seeing 2 grown men shuffle into the airplane bathroom that can hardly fit one person!

Daily hundreds of thousands of people, some paid direct support professionals, other family or friend caregivers provide vital services so that folks with disabilities can fully participate and engage in the community. In fact, without caregiver support, we would not have community inclusion.  In essence they are symbiotic.

My sensitivity to caregiving was recently heighten to me as I had a total hip replacement surgery. When I came out of the procedure, I was fully dependent upon caregivers.  I was not allowed to make a move without a caregiver to support or monitor me. This need for total support was a wake up call to me regarding caregiving.  Up to this point I was always placed in the caregiver role; now, in this dependent state, I was the care receiver.  I had to wait, rely on, and in many ways, fully yield to the caregiver.

I know that I will continue to recover from my hip situation, and that my dependency will be temporary, but the experience of being in need, has opened my eyes to the importance of caregiver, care receiver balance.  It is clear that for full inclusion to happen, caregivers and care receivers must work together to assure that all aspects of engagement unfold.

So if you are a caregiver, either direct support professional, or family caregiver, keep sensitive to the realities of the care receiver. In my dependent state, I always found it empowering when the caregiver asked me, or incorporated me in the care process. As caregivers, if we just image how we would feel, or how we would want something done, we can never go wrong.

How Do You Measure Success

"What we do with our lives does not determine whether we are a success or not. What determines whether we are a success is how we touch the lives of others." 

This quote by Albert Schweitzer is one of my favorites. In two quick sentences he captures the essence of a successful life - connection with other people. What swirls around this quote is that the material things that many people think are the signals of success are just that - things - and in the end, what constitutes a person's legacy is found in their relationships - in their social capital! 

Sociologists have studied social capital and the results are irrefutable. The connections in our lives are the corpus of our healthfulness, happiness, and even our longevity in this world. Through our relationships we learn, grow, develop, and succeed. We meet people who ultimately help us get jobs, homes, lifestyles and identities. These "social influences" shape our attitudes, behaviors, and assumptions about the world. 

And it goes both ways. When we meet and engage with people we not only adjust, the persons we are with also adjusts. Sociologists call this "macro change" and it can be applied to most all major social movements throughout history. The acceptance of diversity is clearly linked to the social influences found in relationships, and there is no question that social capital is at the core of societal advancement. 

So, who has been at the core of your success? If it is someone you still see, acknowledge them. If it is someone who has drifted from your life, take a moment to seek them out, and thank them. If it is someone who is gone from your life, take a moment to reflect on their memory. 

Life moves fast, and it is moments that make life! 

Social Isolation and Morbitity

When Jeff Fromknecht and I were working on our book, "Social Capital: The Key to Macro Change," (Lapublishing.com, 2014) we reviewed all the literature to date that showed the power and potency of relationships in our lives. We found studies that showed that social capital was tied to health, happiness, advancement, achievement, and even life expectancy. It is amazing how important relationships are! 

To add to this, just this week a friend sent me yet another study (2015) that corroborates this thesis. Researchers at Brigham Young University conducted a study with some 3 million participants that found that loneliness (social isolation) is as big of a killer as obesity and as dangerous as heavy smoking. They estimated that loneliness can increase the risk of premature death by around 30%! 

The lead author, Dr. Julianne Holt-Lunstad stated: "The effect (loneliness and social isolation) is comparable to obesity, something that public health takes very seriously...we need to start taking our relationships more seriously."  She is right. The reality of social isolation is all around us; and for vulnerable people (elderly, I'll, or folks with disabilities) the risks of isolation are even greater. 

So what can you do about this? First is to assure that your relationships are stable. Work at them, don't take them for granted. Then consider reaching out to others, and especially folks that may be vulnerable.  Remember that social capital is a two-way street and you can make a difference in someone's life - maybe even saving it! 

How Many Close Friends Do You Have

For the past 7 or 8 years I have been part of a Social Capital/Social Justice Conversation Group in Pittsburgh. We meet monthly over coffee, with an open invitation and no agenda other than to discuss topics of the day, and how they relate to building more social justice through social capital. Members are free to circulate topics, often through articles or stories, that can help stimulate conversation. We always have lively sessions. 

Recently, one of our members shared an article that appeared in the Washington Post that summarized a study conducted by Chapman University that surveyed 25,000 people to learn the number of friends people of different ages, genders, and sexual orientation feel close enough to to expect a certain level of emotional support from.  The researchers posed questions like the number of friends they would expect to celebrate their birthday, or the friends they could discuss their sex life with. 

The results identified a core of between 8 to 10  close friends to fill this role.  So how about you? How many close friends do you have who could play this role for you? More, what can you do to build more deeply based relationship? 

Memory: The Glue of Social Capital

As the holidays wind down and we move full force into 2016, I continue to think and reflect on social capital and ways we can develop and enhance relationships. During the whole of the holidays we all spent time with friends and family, and the lions share of the conversations reflected back on times and experiences we have had together. We went down "memory lane" as we recounted the times we did this or that.

As I did just that with those I saw and spent time with over the holidays it spurred my thinking about how important these memories really are. In a way, social capital is really nothing more than the memories we make with people and the cementing of these experiences into the elements of bonding.  As we look back on the good times, we are building and promoting more new experiences that further our relationships.

I once remember being with some disability advocates as we had just finished a conference and were reflecting on the gathering and its impact; and one of my friend said: "this conference today, will be the "good times" of tomorrow."  And he was right! The experiences we are building today with our social capital, will be the fodder for reflection when we next see them.

Facebook understands this and actively feeds our memories by posting pictures of you and your friends over the years.  These photos boost our memory, and remind us of how important social capital and relationships are. This actually causes us to post even more photos of our good time with friends.

So as we move into 2016, celebrate with your social capital and build those new memories.  This will become the glue that will frame your social capital for tomorrow!

What Do You Think About Stigma

I am a member of a research group we formed at CLASS to look at and measure issues that people with disabilities experience. Recently we have decided to explore the notion of stigma and are in the process of developing a proposal we plan to submit to National Institute of Health (NIH).

As we explore the literature around stigma in preparation for our proposal, it has gotten me to think more about this phenomena in general terms. The dictionary defines stigma as a mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or person. In all my years as a disability advocate, we know that disabilities, be they congenital or acquired, can create a sense of stigma for people. Quite simply, when a person experiences a disability they can feel devalued, stared at, or avoided by other people. The phenomena of stigma and disability is real.

When digging a little deeper, we learn that there are 2 types of stigma - one is "Internalized Stigma," when the person with the devalued experience comes to feel or believe that they are different. The other is called "Enacted Stigma" when the negative attitudes are expressed by the public. Of course these 2 types of stigma are co-related, but it is the enacted stigma that has really gotten my attention. Certainly people can feel awkward or different with the difference they are experiencing, but it is not until people in the general community begin to avoid, look down on, or disregard the different person, that the cycle of stigma gets deepened.

To this end, I hope you can open your own eyes to stigma. All of us are guilty of coping a perspective, or holding on to a stereotype that can create the enacted form of stigma in everyday life experiences. This then suggests that the only way we can end stigma, is to have everyday people come to grips with their biases, and bigotry and think again. When we focus on ending enacted stigma, the internalized elements will be lessened.

Stigma is a real problem not only for people with disabilities but for any difference in our society that might be looked down upon. Still, we need to address ways and means to create a better culture; one that respects all people and treats them accordingly. Only then will we start putting an end to the ugly elements of stigma.

Building All Capacities

Holiday season is a time to meet with friends, old and new, to reflect, and to refocus. In fact, meeting with friends and family allows us to learn what is new, and to share where we are in our own paths. Of course, the older we get, hopefully the more wisdom we add into the mix, and the more we learn from these opportunities.

In these holiday discussions with our friends and family, we will hear the good, and the bad. We learn about friends who are succeeding and those who are struggling, or on a downward path. For any feeling person these stories that sadden us should inspire 2 actions we might consider.  One is framed around how we might help the struggling person, something we could do to change their situation or help them during a bad turn. Sociologists call these external actions "instrumental reciprocity."

The other reaction is more internal, and that is when we learn from the conversation and think to apply actions we might do for ourselves to perhaps avoid the bad experiences that occur with people we know. That is, when we learn that someone is sick, it might spur us to think about ways we can make ourselves healthier. Or is someone is depressed, or at a low point, we could think about ways to keep our own spirits stronger.

As I get older, and apply these internal actions, it causes me to think about ways I can strengthen myself, in mind, body, and spirit. The great philosophers often talk about balance, and how people need to tend to all the important elements of life. If we care to heed this advice of balance, then we need to think about how we can keep our bodies stronger (healthier) through good exercise and diet. And to strengthen our minds, by reading broadly and reflecting often on all sides of an issue. Last, to keep our spirits bright by taking time to reflect, meditate, or pray.

Most of us have incredible blessings in our lives. When we reflect with our friends and hear the more challenging stories, we can first ask what we can do to help, and then internally use these situations to keep ourselves balanced and strong....on all fronts.  We can use our holiday reflections to help others, and to improve our own lot.

How Many Important Friends Do You Have

I just returned from a trip to Baton Rouge where I met with fellow disability advocates to talk about the importance of social capital in every day life.  We discussed a number of important aspects of social capital, but in a sidebar conversation a friend asked about the quantity of friends that would be helpful. He knew that our social capital (friends in our lives) enhance the quality of life, but wondered about the quantity it took for quality to unfold.

This question got me to think more about this notion of quantity of friendships, and drew me to a book I had read a number of years ago written by Tom Rath and titled, "Vital Friends." In this work Rath examines all the evidence that has been associated with social capital. He reviews things we know today; that friendship enhances our health, happiness, advancement, achievement, and is especially helpful in our work/business life.

He goes on to say that research suggests we need at least 5 important friends, however, to reap the benefits that social capital brings. Less than 5 key friends, can put us at risk of social isolation. And we know that being socially isolated can be very bad and, in some cases, lethal.

So who are your important friends? How many do you have? More importantly, how can you nurture these relationships to keep them strong and vibrant.  As Wadsworth once said; "Without close friends, the world is a wilderness."

The Depleted Circle

I have just returned back to Pittsburgh from an extended 3 weeks of sharing ideas from Toronto, to Evanston, IL, to Vancouver, to Albuquerque NM, to Philadelphia, to Chilliwack BC. I do a fair amount of travel, but this stint was much more than I normally do.

On the one side, I am energized by meeting new people, framing ideas, and learning of new things; and getting to be with forward thinking people is a gas.  On the other side, these kinds of trips are draining in more ways than one.

After returning late last evening, I remembered a poem I had written a number of years ago when I had returned from one of these marathon training/presentation jaunts; so today, when I returned to my office, I dug it out.  It still held water, so I thought I would share it with you.

The Depleted Circle

"Another flight, off to a new city; into the struggle of why

To speak, share and learn; to dull and blunt, my mind with the task

They want from me more, ideas, ways to do new.  And I offer and hunger in the process

As the ideas come out, the well diminishes, a withering; and I need more

The circle is depleted

Applause feels good, it rushes the senses, carries the day; yet bleeds the soul

And then the pause, a refuel, new thoughts; now ready for more

The circle is completed, as the jet moans; I wait to be bled again"

So make sure your circle is refueled, you build your strength to do the important work of community. An inclusive society starts with us!

What Does Hospitality Mean To You

All of us, who are interested in a more inclusive community, are hard pressed to identify the key variable in the process. In my time on this task I have identified 5 critical issues, all associated with inclusion, and wrote about these in my book, Beyond Difference (1996). The issues I identified are, Kindness, Hospitality, Generosity, Compassion, and Forgiveness.

All these years later, I still feel these hold, but I have begun to order these a little differently, putting "hospitality" in a more prominent spot. This upgrading of hospitality has happened over time as I have thought more about the core of inclusion. Recently, in a learning circle I conducted on inclusion and social capital, I asked folks in the session to define "hospitality" in a word.  Here is what they told me it means:

Open; Unselfish; Loving; Warmth; Generous; Welcoming; At home; Accepting; Not on a schedule; Comforting; Excited; Belonging; Shelter; Inviting; Unconditional.

Next, I asked people to think of the most hospitable person they know; then captured some demographics on these people. Out of 25 folks in the learning circle, 60% thought of a women, 50% were relatives or a spouse/partner and about 30% saw a younger person (under 30 years of age).

So what does "hospitality" mean to you?  And who is the most hospitable person you know? More, look for more ways to be hospitable in your life, and when we do this, we create a more inclusive community by our actions.

How Can Community Become Intentional

As disability advocates have been working to promote more inclusive community, there has been struggles that have led to frustration. Everyone agrees that inclusion is a good thing, and would like to see it happen, but know it is hard to achieve. We can promote an inclusive community, but we really can't control the behaviors of others. So we can help people get "in" to community, but can not get people to be fully embraced by the community.

In this struggle, some advocates have advocated backing away from the general community and developing "intentional" communities where everyone invited to the community have been hand picked as ones who agree with the values and directions of the group. Of course, intentional communities are not a new thing. People have self selected there own community for time in memorial. This goes back to the notion of tribes and selected groups.

Still, it seems to me that when we promote intentional communities, just for people with disabilities, this form of segregation in the end, holds our movement for inclusion back.  When we find our own space, for our own kind, we allow the general community to abdicate its responsibility to all citizens. I get the emotional rationale, but feel in the end it is a cope out from the real challenge of inclusion.

So, how do we get the behaviors of the general community to be more hospitable? I think the answer to this challenge is found in social capital. In a way, the more people become known, and connected to the general community, the more the behaviors of inclusion will be influenced.

We can't force people to change their behavior, but we can continue to find ways to connect people we support to the general community. In this process, we make the general community more intentional.

Do You Practice "Graceful Inclusion?"

I recently received an email from my friend, Trevor. He is an emerging leader in our community and we are both members of a "Social Justice Conversation Group" that meets monthly, that I usually host at our agency, CLASS in Pittsburgh.

Trevor was writing to thank me for practicing "graceful inclusion" for him and others that might arrive a bit late for our meetings.  He said that whenever he comes in late, I will always welcome him and softly catch him up with the conversation. He said that this gesture always lessens the awkwardness of being late and makes him feel genuinely welcomed.

Now I am not so sure how conscious I am with this, but I do know that when I enter any gathering late, it is hard to know what has been happening, and how I might squeeze into the discussion. This is often not only awkward, but might be the reason folks decide to not engage at all if they find themselves late.

Trevor's email got me to thinking about all of the small aspects that might be a part of "graceful inclusion." The notion of offering coffee, or drinks; making sure that people know one another; assuring that the newcomer have a physical place in the discussion; inviting reticent folks to weigh in on the topic - all of these are parts of "graceful inclusion."

For people to not only engage, but want to come back to the discussion the next time, is really incumbent on the existing members to be aware of the welcoming process. So the next time you are involved in some sort of engagement, be the first to practice "graceful inclusion." Not only will the newcomer feel good, but the other members will benefit in the process. 

How Strong Are Your "Weak" Ties

For a number of years many of us have been very interested in "Social Networks," and "Social Capital." We have studied, researched, taught and written (Social Capital: The Key to Macro Change, Lapublications.com, 2014) about this fascinating subject. The evidence on the positive effects that unfold through our relationships is beyond refute. We know that health, happiness, advancement, achievement, and even our longevity are tied to our social networks and social capital. We know that people get, and keep jobs based on their relationships, and that psycholochogical balance all point to our friendships. 

We also know that social capital is not distributed equally. Many studies show that people who are better educated, either formally, or informally, have wider and deeper social networks. This includes both "strong" and "weak" ties.  Quite simply, poor folks, people with disabilities, immigrants, and other minorities, on average, have less social capital.

Now strong ties are those close relationships we have with family and people we feel deeply bonded with and as you might expect, these connections are important. The covenant people in our lives play a significant role in our lives. 

Equally important however, are the weak ties in our lives. These are the people we know casually., the acquaintances we have where we know these people, and might call them friends, but they are not close to us. These connections tend to be more diverse, as they unfold with people all over the scale, age, ethnicity, perspective, or experience. Yet, it is the reach and diversity of these weaker social ties that are valuable for our social mobility, and in many ways, our economic advancement. This plays out in the connections that can unfold when you are led to a friend of a friend. This is the power of "weak ties." 

Think about it - how often have you had a door open to you (or your children, or someone you serve) when you connected with a friend of a friend. More, think about your close ties today. Probably most of them were introduced to you by a friend of a friend. 

So, in your social network, know that the close ties are important, but your "weak ties" are the ones that lead you to new things, and new awareness. You never know when your life will be enhanced by a friend of a friend. 

How strong are your weak ties? 

What Is Your Personal Mission Statement

All organizations are advised to have mission/vision statements that announce to the world what they stand for, and what they do. In fact, many organizations spend loads of money to enlist advice in this task. It is an important part of a business plan. 

At CLASS, we refined our mission/vision statement years ago, and have attempted to share it as extensively as possible with the world around us. Our statement is simply, "Working Towards a Community Where Each Belongs." This statement accentuates that we believe in full and inclusive community for all people; and that when we belong to community, we are known, and everyone, in a sense, benefits. 

Yesterday I was discussing our vision statement with some new members of our board of directors at our QSPC (Quality Services Program Committee)  meeting. This committee oversees all of our services and assures our overall board of directors that we are striving for the highest quality for our services.

As we did our introductions at this meeting I wondered about the personal mission/vision of these board members. Here were 5 board members, all busy and hard working professionals, who were taking time and volunteering their services to CLASS. What, I wondered, was motivating them to give freely of their time and help us get better as an organization. 

In a way, they were committing to their own personal vision statement. Individuals, as well as organizations, should have their own vision and mission statement. We need to think about what we stand for, and what we care about; what our values are, and how we can make this world a better place.  

In the end, our personal mission statement, becomes our legacy. It frames our own personal commitment, and grows beyond us. It defines our reputation, and becomes an energy in and of itself. It also helps others understand who we are. 

So what is your personal mission statement? What are you about, and how do you manifest this vision into action? More, how does your mission statement make the world a better place? 

Bridging the Gap Between the Two Americas

It is always dangerous for me to visit bookstores. As a passionate reader I am reminded about all the books I would like to read, and then when I make my selections, it costs me an arm and a leg. 

But my trip to the bookstore this time was deliberate as I wanted to get the new book by Robert Putnam, the renowned Harvard sociologist. It was Putnam, and his article in 1994, then follow-up book, "Bowling Alone" (2000) that framed the notion of social capital that has been so helpful to our work at CLASS. 

In keeping with his commentating on life in America, Putnam' new book is title, "Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis." (Simon Schuster, 2015). For any advocate interested in kids and families, this is a must read. 

Putnam starts the book by going back to his boyhood home in Port Clinton, OH, and exploring what had become of his classmates some 55 years later.  His point of initiation is that although their were differences in income, by and large, people knew and engaged together.  He then counter compares this with recent findings of the huge gaps and disparities In America today. In a section titled, "Toward Two Americas," he statistically shows the changes that are apparent today. He states: "In the quarter century between 1979 and 2005, after tax income (adjusted for inflation) grew by $900 a year for the bottom fifth of American households, by $8,700 a year for the middle fifth, and by $745,000 a year for the top 1 percent of households." From 2009 to 2012 the real income of the top 1 percent of American families rose 31 percent, while the real incomes of the bottom 99 percent barely budged!

In this disparity he found that income trends were especially divergent among people with different levels of education.  He displays some of this educational divide with a variety of graphs which couldn't be more stark in looking at the wealth gap, median age of mothers at first birth, unmarried births, children living in single parent families, employment of mothers, imprisonment rate and the like. It is sobering stuff.

In fact, the imprisonment rate alone has skyrocketed since 1980 from 100/100,000, which is where it has been since 1920 to its present 500/100,000. He states that having a dad in prison is one of the most common themes in the lives of poor kids. 

But it is this educational divide that took me aback. The dichotomy and then stark disparity between people who had the opportunity for advanced education, and those that didn't is hugely telling as it relates to all the important things for families and kids. 

Yet, we live in times where advanced education, for many (maybe most) is becoming economically out of reach; and for those who take the plunge, end up in insurmountable debt. It is ironic that you can buy a car at little or even no interest, yet to get a college loan you pay upwards of 8, 10, even 12 percent. 

And what about for those that college is not possible, for whatever reason. Certainly this impacts many people with disabilities, or other people with issues that might compromise academic proficiency. Will these people continue to be put in situations that make life harder, or less satisfying? 

These are the important questions in front of us as a society, and for our communities overall. And thanks to Putnam (and other social commentators) we have the information to set the stage for the important changes that must happen. 

How Engaged Is Your Family In Community?

As we continue to find new and innovative directions for our organization, CLASS, to be a benefit to the community, we have begun to explore ways we can research things we are learning in the field. Now usually research is conducted by universities/colleges, and they do a good job in this endeavor, but often remain somewhat disconnected from the realities of the greater community. To this end, CLASS feels like we can stay true to realities of the streets, yet connect with the universities in the process. 

This exploration initiated with work that CLASS did through the "Interdependence Network," a coalition of organizations that are interested in community change, by surveying some 250 individuals with disabilities to ascertain their patterns of engagement and compare this to folks without disabilities.  Now this type of study is not exactly how the hardcore researchers proceed, but is more of a snapshot in time with a group of similar people looking at specific issue. Still, this inquiry yields interesting and important information that can guide how human service agencies can be more relevant to their constituents.

The work we did with the Interdependence Network is telling and you can see some of our results at www.buildingsocialcapital.org, the IN website. 

More recently, however, aligning with Chatham University in Pittsburgh, CLASS launched another "field-oriented" survey tied to our past work, but this time to explore the engagement patterns of families who have children with disabilities, and compare them to similar families whose children do not have disabilities. This study was driven by reports we hear from families who have children with disabilities and how uncomfortable they can feel when out and about, and especially if their children have unique or essentially behavior patterns. Many of these families have told us they would rather just stay home. So CLASS and Chatham decided to explore this phenomena. 

To enhance this exploration we also aligned with Mamre Association, one of the most forward-thinking organizations based in Brisbane, Australia. I had the pleasure of spending time in Brisbane with Mamre this past year and was deeply impressed with their passion for full and inclusive community opportunities for families. 

So now the CLASS - Chatham - Mamre study is underway and we are looking at 50 families in Pittsburgh (25 with a disability experience, and 25 without) and 50 similar families in Brisbane. Soon we will have our results. 

i tell you this because the notion of active family engagement patterns are critical in so many ways. First, they teach youngsters the cultural protocols necessary for being successful in the community. They also are fundamental to the social capital process. In a way, the more a family engages with their children, the more likely their children will be successful in community engagement, and the more social capital these children will build.  

So, how engaged is your family? If you have a family member with a disability, how often do you engage in the community? More, how sensitive and supportive are you in reaching out to the families with a member who is experiencing a disability in the places you go? 

Keep sensitive to this and we can create friendlier, more hospitable communities! 

What You Can Do To Build Community

We know that there are many people in our communities today who are socially isolated. We also know social isolation is a terrible thing. Studies have shown that isolated people have more health problems, are more depressed, have less opportunity, and even are a greater risk dying. 

Along with all of this, we also know that their are risk factors that can accelerate social isolation. Among the risk factors are aging, disability, poverty, or other differences that are minority aspects. Just aging, or disability alone can thrust a person (or family) into isolation. 

Any of us reading these words might remember a situation or experience that rendered us to be more isolated.  When these things happened, you might remember how bad you felt, or vulnerable you were. These memories, when we care to examine them, should be a motivator to do something about this.  So, what can you do?

As simple as it might seem, the antidote to social isolation is to build more relationships - social capital! And there are things that we, everyday citizens, can do to address social isolation. We don't have to rely or expect "social service" agencies will take care of these social problems. These would include: 

*. Reach out to new people, and especially those who are at risk

*. Introduce yourself and engage in conversation. 

*. Look for the similarities you share

*. Introduce these same people to other friends you have, and promote them in your circles

*. Seek out neighbors you do not know, and introduce yourself

*. Sit out more on your front porch, rather than hiding on your back deck

*. Smile more, and establish eye contact with people

*. Be curious and more alert to how important your own social capital is to your well-being. 

These are all simple things, sort of the low-hanging fruit of social capital. Still, every effort we make to address social isolation, and to help others build social capital, is an investment in a better world for all of us. 

How Can Communities Be More Hospitable

For my entire career I have been advocating for full and open community. My organization, Community Living And Support Services (CLASS) articulates this with our tag line; "working towards a community where each belongs." We believe deeply that all people, regardless of their situation, should have a place in community.  (www.classcommunity.org).

In my voyage, however, I have met people and parents, who feel that community is just not sensitive or respectful to their situation, and are opting out. They are tired of the bullies, or predators who taunt or take advantage of them. They are looking to develop safe places, off from the general community, where they, or their children can be safer, with their own kind. They call these havens, "intentional communities." 

I certainly understand this direction. After so much rejection, it becomes tiring to continue to press on, and is easier to find a separate place, rather than deal with the insensitivity and negativity often found in the greater community.   Still, I think we need to be cautious about intentional communities. I think we have not explored all the macro, community change options. As Dr. King so eloquently said, "separate is never equal." 

If we think about our community inclusion efforts, most of this energy has been built on formal legal opinions, such as the ADA, or the Olmsted Act, that mandates public accommodation. These efforts tend to "force" communities to change, and often there is resistance to these measures. People do not like to be forced. 

Before we retreat to intentional communities, I suggest we look more closely at informal community change. In this effort we shift our agenda to the power of relationships and the impact of social influence theory. As people who are different from each other, build relationships around things they have in common, I believe, the bully and negative behaviors will begin to wane. 

We know that powerful social attitudes can be adjusted, or changes when people get to know each other. If we intentionally separate and segregate people because we think this will keep them safer, in the end we may make things worse. 

All people, in their hearts, want to belong and be a part of the mix. By promoting relationships, social capital, we get closer to that reality.