A "reality check" about showing trains at an Assisted Living Center ...
We asked if an abbreviated version of the modular layout of our local train club could be set up and operated as a temporary O-gauge layout for the enjoyment of their residents. Our hope was that some of their active senior men residents would join our club and become a part of our SENIOR CIRCLE to continue this community service venture throughout the county.
On "train day," ONE senior guy showed up but he didn't "step up" to join our project. With 20/20hindsight, it was clear that our initial hope was unrealistic. The room was filled with 20 or so senior women with just a passive interest in the train hobby. It seemed to us that they came to the community room at the ALC for the show-n-tell as an escape from daily TV watching.
Although the Activity Director of the SLC was generous with her appreciation of our effort, our take-away was: "We won't go back. It's a lot of set-up and take-down effort for a minimal response." I know, some might consider our reaction as "age or gender discrimination," but one has to weigh expenditures of time and effort in relation to the benefit. Thereafter, we decided to focus on Train Open House events that would draw families with young children as a better investment of our limited time and energy in the future growth of the hobby. As a result, over a five-year time span we gathered more than 23,000 visitors with events at community centers and (especially) at a three-week-long Holiday Open House at the Laman Library in North Little Rock, AR.
Mike Mottler
Long-time hobbyist (now age 81) spending time and energy in the hobby with two great-grandsons: Matthew (age 7) and Hudson (age 6). Pix attached.
