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Lamarinda Village tells Lafayette council it helps older residents stay connected through classes, tech help and social programs
Summary
Lamarinda Village presented to the Lafayette City Council about its healthy-aging programs, including a free brain-enrichment series for people 65+, weekly online conversations, drop-in tech support and volunteer-led classes meant to reduce social isolation.
Katherine Ishiu, executive director of Lamarinda Village, told the Lafayette City Council that the nonprofit’s mission is to “help older adults remain connected and engaged” and outlined a suite of programs aimed at reducing social isolation and supporting independent living.
At a council meeting presentation, Ishiu said the organization has expanded into a comprehensive healthy-aging group offering wellness programs, educational classes, arts outings and community partnerships. “Over the past several years, Lamarinda Village has expanded into a comprehensive healthy aging organization offering wellness programs, educational classes, arts, and cultural experiences,” she said.
Susie Pac, the organization’s community outreach manager, detailed several ongoing offerings. Pac described a healthy-aging lecture series that brings experts to discuss caregiving, Medicare, fraud prevention and other topics, and weekly "village conversations" held online and archived for later viewing. “These conversations create a space where learning and connection happen simultaneously,” Pac said.
Pac also described drop-in tech support that provides individualized help using smartphones, tablets and online tools, along with classes run through the Lafayette Community Center (including smartphone photography). She said the organization offers a brain-enrichment class series led by retired cardiologist Dr. Prasad Palikerti, provided at no charge to people 65 and older to help sharpen memory and critical thinking.
Speakers stressed that many classes and discussions are led by volunteers or by paid instructors supported through donations. Ishiu noted the organization relies on a very small staff and volunteers to sustain the offerings and that the group is entering its fourth year of partnership with the city.
During a brief question-and-comment period, multiple council members praised Lamarinda Village for its responsiveness during the COVID-19 pandemic and for its regular programming, with several urging colleagues and residents to participate. The meeting host closed the comment period after noting there were no additional public speakers.
No votes or formal actions were taken at the presentation; the session was informational and did not direct staff to take further action.
