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Yesterday I attended a fun and quick (less than two hours) training session so I could be a researcher in Lowell Seniors Count, an ambitious project to do a door-to-door census and needs assessment of all 15,000 Lowell seniors. The project will kickoff with a breakfast for volunteers at the Lowell Senior Center this Saturday, and the first surveying will begin on Tuesday, July 22, starting with seniors living in high-rise apartments. The project will continue until seniors from every neighborhood in Lowell have been contacted, and according to Lynne Brown-Zounes, senior center executive director, the data gathered “will change the way we provide services to the elderly.”  

Currently, about 95 folks have completed the training to conduct the surveys, but another 100 volunteers are still needed. If interested in helping with this important community-research project, training sessions will be held at the Senior Center on Monday, July 28, at 9 a.m. and noon; Thursday, July 31, at 6 p.m.; Saturday, August 2, at 9 a.m., and Monday, August 4, at 9 a.m. and other times. Volunteers, who will wear identification badges and matching tee shirts, choose the neighborhoods and dates that fit their schedule. Volunteers are also needed to stuff the gift bags researchers will give to seniors–four thousand done so far, 11 thousand to go! The bags include information about tax abatement, water discounts, and prescription help, as well as dozens of other useful information.

Lowell Seniors Count is a coordinated effort between UMass Lowell, the Senior Center, the City, and the Lowell Police. It is also supported by many community groups and businesses, and more than $28,000 has been donated to provide emergency relief for seniors identified through the survey process. This project is a fun and interesting way to make a difference, maybe make a new friend, learn some things, and even get some exercise. Why not get involved and become a community researcher as we make sure every senior counts in Lowell!