EASTHAMPTON — With help from the Gerontology Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston, the Easthampton Council on Aging is reimagining what the future of aging looks like in the city.

In a series of three forums this week, community members gathered to share their thoughts about the merits and challenges of getting older in Easthampton to help the city update its public needs assessment data. They were also able to provide important input to an ad hoc committee selected by Mayor Nicole LaChapelle that is tasked with assessing the community’s need for a new senior center, sharing perspectives that the committee will carry with them as they research potential sites and designs.

During a Tuesday afternoon forum with the Council on Aging Ad Hoc Building Committee, Caitlyn Coyle, director of the Center for Social & Demographic Research on Aging at the UMass Boston Gerontology Institute, presented data exemplifying the importance of strong resources in Easthampton for those over the age of 55 — which the UMass Donahue Institute projects will become 41% of the city’s population by 2030 — and asked participants how a new senior center could best provide the resources they need to “age independently.”

“It has a tall order,” Coyle said of the senior center. “We want to understand what would get people to come to the senior center, what would get people excited about it.”

Coyle emphasized the merits of planning for a community’s transition into older adulthood, and hopes that providing resources and activities for older populations can help lead individuals to see aging as a privilege rather than a burden.

“Generally, and culturally, we don’t think about our aging,” said Coyle. “We don’t think about it happening to us until it does.”

From transportation to swimming pools, the small group attending both virtually and in-person at City Hall had an abundance of ideas about what would improve their lives in the city, and what they currently find challenging as they continue to grow older.

Transportation was a notable challenge surrounding senior center access that arose from the conversation. Several community members noted that mobility issues have made it difficult for them to socialize and take advantage of the activities offered at the city’s current senior center, and that transportation options to and from these activities, or even the grocery store, are not always available and reliable enough for them to maintain their full independence.

While not directly related to the senior center, many participants also stated that a challenge of staying in Easthampton as they age is the lack of options when it comes to assisted and independent living communities as they seek more support or chances to downsize from larger homes. There were also concerns that, even with the abundance of affordable housing projects ongoing in the city, there would still be challenges with finding housing options that are actually affordable to older adults who no longer work.

“At the senior center, the top request for help is housing, and that’s — as far as I know of — every senior center in the Pioneer Valley,” said Cynthia Tarail, director of the Easthampton Council on Aging and Enrichment Center. “People need options so that they can leave that two or three bedroom home if they own one.”

When it came to the center itself though, a common dream for the new building was a greater abundance of space with opportunities for exercise, socialization and outdoor time. Ideas for swimming pool access and exercise machines were brought up alongside visions for a greenhouse or garden, as well as space to host social luncheons and other events. A welcoming atmosphere, broad accessibility and ample parking were also emphasized as aspects that make for a successful senior center.

According to the Council on Aging, 60 came out to express their thoughts across the three forums, raising concerns ranging from speeding cars posing safety risks to those walking through the city, to a lack of primary care providers in the region. Many participants also spoke to the merits of growing older in Easthampton, with resources such as Easthampton Neighbors, the Manhan Rail Trail and the city’s plethora of local businesses.

The Ad Hoc Building Committee’s report is expected to be completed by the end of 2024, and will include information reported by Coyle on Easthampton’s older adult population as well as services provided in similar communities. At the committee’s next meeting on Oct. 22, they expect to speak with an architect and design team about possibilities for the new center.

Community members are welcome to continue sharing their commentary with Coyle and the Council on Aging through Oct. 31.

Alexa Lewis can be reached at alewis@gazettenet.com.