Executive Director of Wider Horizons Willo Carey addresses the audience at a Circle of Love event.

WHYY’s Wider Horizons Service is a trend-setting, multimedia platform that blends television, radio, Internet and community partnerships to focus on the needs and interests of people approaching their later years -- a time Carl Jung called the most interesting part of life.

This year’s goals were achieved through:

On-and Off-Air Programs and Services
WHYY’s Caring Community

Content provided by WHYY's Wider Horizons Service features intelligent discussions of caregiving and end-of-life issues as well as social engagement and creativity. Its success can be measured by the enthusiastic response to the programs, town meetings and resources developed this year in collaboration with the 100-plus members of WHYY's Caring Community coalition. Viewers and listeners who experience Wider Horizons programs often explore topics that were once taboo, such as caring for the dying and coping with dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

The Currans, who have three children with special needs, are one of four local families featured in the WHYY original TV series Circle of Love.
	Watch a WHYY-TV profile of an equestrian program for children with special needs.

One of Wider Horizons' achievements this past year was the production of Circle of Love, a series of half-hour, first-person documentaries about caregiving and chronic illness. WHYY's ability to create communities -- on the air, in person and through the Internet -- furthered understanding of these issues. Wider Horizons also co-leads Coming of Age, a regional initiative to engage retirees in volunteerism and lifelong learning.

WHYY's Caring Community partnership is unique. It turns potential institutional competitors into collaborators who develop program content, identify resources, plan community outreach and disseminate healthcare information. This year's focus was on Alzheimer's disease.

Next year, Wider Horizons will develop technology to provide residential communities serving older adults with programming and opportunities to connect with their communities and lifelong learning experiences. Look for more groundbreaking collaborations with WHYY's Caring Community partners.