241 Berry Dilley: Who Will Be My 24/7? A Concern that Grows with Age

Berry Dilley’s areas of interest cover movement, dance and mindfulness, teaching,

creativity, as well as health, disability services, and quality of life for elders. She has

degrees in dance, sociology and counseling and more recently trained in Somatic

Experiencing to help people who have experienced trauma.

Berry grew up on the east coast and moved, with her son, Steve, to Athens, Ohio, in

1971, to teach in the theater department at Ohio University. She remarried and made

Athens her home.

The 1970s was the time of the Feminist Movement, the EEOC and Title 9. Berry and

several other young women in Athens joined the movement and founded their own

group, Feminists and Faith, which has been active for about 45 years now.

"There’s a tendency to have friends who are the same age. It’s important to

cultivate friendships with younger people who bring excitement, vitality, and new

perspectives." - Berry Dilley

In the late 1990s Berry became acutely aware of the needs of those with disabilities,

learning first hand while caring for family members. In 2002 she went to the mayor

about making the city more accessible. In 2004, the Athens City Commission on

Disabilities was created.

Now as Berry is aging, she is more aware of what older people need and want. She

joined a community group which is now focused on becoming AARP Age Friendly

Athens County. Because of her membership with this group, Berry began visiting

communities, new to her in Athens County and meeting people whose life experiences

are very different from hers to discover what their needs and wants are, oftenquite

different from hers. A common issue seems to be having someone to oversee one's

care when needed.

The biggest issue Berry faces is who will be her 24/7.