Seniors Talk to Seniors About Social Security

AARP Wisconsin collaborated with the University of La Crosse’s Health Science Interprofessional Research Center to facilitate an intergenerational conversation on Social Security and retirement.

The event, called “Seniors Talking to Seniors,” grouped seniors in college with seniors in the community in discussions over dinner. Twenty-one college seniors joined thirteen seniors from the community in groups of four to six.

The conversation began with each group member reading a provided fact about Social Security or retirement savings. Then from prompting questions provided, they spent 40 minutes discussing their reaction to the information read and connecting it to their own life experience.

The attendees then reconvened as a larger group to share major themes of the group discussion.

Charlene Krocker shared this about her experience at the event, “It was fun chatting with them (college seniors) and talking about how we are in their future. We share the importance of planning for their future but also being aware how people in government and their position on social security.”

Seniors Talking to Seniors was the third collaboration in 2023 with the Health Science Interprofessional Research Center’s director, Dr. Jennifer Taylor. In February, AARP Wisconsin and Taylor co-created Walk with an Eagle, a weekly social walk around the UW-L campus that paired Recreation Therapy students with community members. This was followed by Walk with an Eagle Summer Session.

Dr. Taylor added, "This partnership provided a great opportunity for connection between seniors in the community and our senior level college students, while also providing important information about retirement. 

"Several students mentioned it made them think about the importance of preparing for retirement at an early age and that they learned facts about retirement here in Wisconsin. 

"Community members commented how much they enjoyed talking with the students and asked if there would be more events like this in the future," Dr. Taylor said.