The idea: my time for yours

Marilyn Keegan prefers to keep busy. So the 75-year-old recently signed up for a videotaping class at the town TV station.

One day, she might be able to deposit her new video skills in a "time bank" and, in turn, withdraw some much-needed yard work.

"Seniors are more active these days," she said. "They're not just sitting in rocking chairs, fading away. I like helping people. And maybe someday, someone can help me."

That's the goal, said Council on Aging director Rita Kalcos, about her idea for a service-bartering system. The time bank would encourage residents to "bank" or "spend" a range of services in hour increments.

Many see the "if you mow my lawn, I'll babysit your kids" program as a way for seniors to stay involved but remain independent in their own homes. Kalcos based the concept on a 12-year-old program in Portland, Maine, in which 750 members share more than 1,800 types of services.

The Dedham program would span generations and comes at a time when the economy is weak and money is short, she said.

The template for the program, Time Dollars, and TimeBanks USA, was created by Edgar Cahn of Washington, an activist who for decades has defended the dignity of the disenfranchised. His system is employed in 27 states and 22 countries. Massachusetts programs are run in Cambridge, Somerville, Lynn, and Andover, Kalcos said.

Kalcos had planned to begin the time bank when Dedham established a senior center. But you can't wait forever, she said, and since the senior center hasn't happened, it's time to go ahead with the bartering program.

"It's no secret," Kalcos said. "My passion is seniors. And I think people are losing out in underestimating their talents. It doesn't get any better than intergenerational programs."

Given the shaky economy, more residents are going to need to find creative ways to save money. "Doesn't it make sense to get into bartering and share what you have, if you yourself need services?" Kalcos asked. "But it won't kick off the ground unless other people extend their hands."

Once people start coming forward and offering their unique talents, the program will take on a life of its own, she said.

The council must come up with the funds to send three people for training in time banking in Hartford. The software that helps organize services and track hours costs $500 for an annual membership.

"To me, that's pennies in the bucket," said Kalcos, stressing that the town will not have to provide any money for the initiative. She will try to find the money in a grant from the state Executive Office of Elder Affairs or start fund-raising. The effort will be worth it to bring all generations together, she said: "We're all going to age. We all need each other. If you help seniors now to stay healthy, they'll be less reliant on the system."

Kalcos said she does not need the town's approval, but would like its support for the service. Town Administrator Bill Keegan said the idea has merit.

"While I will need to understand more about how it works, I think this approach lends itself to being more community-oriented, and that's what Dedham is all about," said Keegan.

Kalcos said it could take up to a year to get the time bank started.

The Cambridge Time Trade Circle is one such program that has really taken off. On its website, members post their contact info and the services they want to offer or receive. Members browse the site and when they see something they want, or can help with, they get in touch. An online account tracks trades and time dollars.

There is also a social aspect to the program. A statement on the circle's site says "meeting interesting people you wouldn't otherwise have known is part of the fun of time trading."

Michele Morgan Bolton can be reached at mmbolton1@verizon.net.