INTERVIEWS
| — | New Executive Director Lives Up To Her Name An Interview with Jane Nyce, Executive Director |
| — | Quite Simply, The First Among Equals An Interview with Tom Towers, President |
New Executive Director
Lives Up to Her Name
An Interview with Jane Nyce, Executive Director,
Staying Put in New Canaan, December, 2007
In getting to know Staying Put's new Executive Director, Jane Nyce, one quickly discovers that she lives up to her name, which is pronounced "nice".
She also has a merry twinkle in her eye, a good sense of humor and a compassionate personality. She is someone that all members and potential members will feel comfortable with in discussing their personal situations and needs, including financial assistance. The vision of the board of directors is that Staying Put should be available for everyone in the New Canaan community who is interested in joining.
"We are delighted to discuss financial aid to people who feel they have limited resources. Because we are not a town based organization, we can be more flexible in our guidelines. Staying Put has a special membership program where the dues are $100 a year," says Jane.
Membership Update: Jane reported that as of January 22, Staying Put has 133 households and 192 members. Also rewarding is the fact that 100 volunteers have already signed up! A wonderful example of neighbors helping neighbors in New Canaan.
We asked Jane:
Q: What kinds of requests have you received so far?
A: I've had calls from members who need grab bars installed in bathrooms, who need help picking up their mail on icy days, who would like a weekly visit from a companion, and we've had requests for plumbers, electricians, carpenters and help finding a physical therapist. One member wondered if we have "someone young enough to catch the cat and put him in his cage for a vet visit." Many want to know if we
really have a good handyman. The answer to all these members is "YES!"
"Everybody's joining for a different reason and I really need to get to know what their expectations are for Staying Put and what we can do for them."
Q: What is most unique about Staying Put in New Canaan versus other similar organizations such as Beacon Hill Village in Boston, the original model?
A: Beacon Hill Village is urban, the homesites are vertical. New Canaan is suburban - the town is horizontal. Transportation is a key factor. That's why we want to work with Getabout to see what options there are to provide additional transportation services. We're delighted that our volunteer pool includes many potential drivers for Staying Put, a good mix of men and women, so we can stay flexible in meeting members needs. (A driver's own auto insurance is sufficient for this role.)
Q: Are all services now ready to go?
A: Yes, although members need to understand the first few months may be something of a shakedown cruise. We're set with: Home Maintenance and Repair, In-Home Technical Support, Transportation, Social Events and Health Care. (Members will receive reduced rates for several categories of assistance from Nursing & Home Care of Wilton and the Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care of Stamford.)
Included are special events for Staying Put members, beginning with our Launch Party in January. Also on the docket are events in February (dinner and movie in town) and March (the Stamford Symphony) with more to come in the months ahead.
"I do know we will not anticipate all the questions. I'll be on the edge of my seat every day!" she says.
Jane's summer 2007 internship with Staying Put proved that she was the ideal candidate for the job of Executive Director, winning over many other candidates presented through a three month search by a well known area executive recruitment firm.
A Smith College alumna with doctoral studies in psychology at Cornell, Jane first worked in consumer research, marketing and consulting. Her experience in caring for aging family members prompted a career change and inspired her to pursue a degree in health advocacy at Sarah Lawrence. She speaks of having seen "the effort it takes to stay healthy and confident in your ability to keep your home running smoothly and safely as you grow older," and she is committed to supporting seniors on an individual basis, after having come to know them personally. Staying Put president Tom Towers praises her talents and warmth. "There doesn't seem to be anything Jane can't do. She's wonderful with people, and we're just incredibly lucky to have her on board."
Now that Staying Put has officially begun its membership services, New Canaan will discover the difference Jane can make in many lives, and what a pleasure it will be.
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Quite Simply, The First Among Equals
An Interview with Tom Towers, President, Staying Put in New Canaan, October, 2007
Although Tom was perfectly happy to be profiled for the Staying Put in New Canaan website, he made it abundantly clear that he is no more important to the organization than any other member of the board or advisory committee. He insists that Staying Put has a very horizontal structure. When pressed, he agrees that he is, quite simply, the first among equals.
Tom and his wife Joan have lived in New Canaan nearly 40 years, so their roots here are strong. His professional career began with degrees from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton and Harvard Business School. He spent three years in the U.S. Marine Corps, last as an infantry company commander.
After a 20-year stint with IBM in sales and corporate marketing, Tom spent 13 years at Infonet, ending as VP and General Manager of Europe, the Middle East and Africa. After retiring in 2004, Tom volunteered with the International Executive Service Corps in Stamford until it moved to Washington, D.C. in 2006. An early founder of youth lacrosse in New Canaan, Tom remains a board member of the U.S. Lacrosse Foundation.
Tom was drawn into Staying Put by friends who had first encountered the "staying put" concept in an article in the New York Times about the organization that began this movement in Beacon Hill in Boston. "Our New Canaan group has come a long way in a relatively short time," says Tom, although he takes no particular credit for this. "Ours is a group effort," he stresses, "and our members are committed to working together to care for one another so that quality of life is optimized." Tom says his 91-year-old mother once told him, "Loneliness is the worst disease of all." It is this remark that inspires him as he makes plans for the New Canaan organization.
Using the word "camaraderie" to capture the essence of Staying Put in New Canaan, Tom explains it is member-driven to identify and adopt the best practices from existing aging-at-home groups. "My role as president is to blend disparate ideas from this highly motivated group, many of whom have dealt with elder-care issues in their own families. We want to bring to fruition the vision that is Staying Put in New Canaan - for this generation of seniors and for generations to come."
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