Meeting Them Where They Are: Working with Third and Fourth Age Donors

Abstract

Relationships are at the heart of development work. For many donors these relationships deepen in the last decades of their lives as they look back, reflect and give to the institutions they value. The process of aging affects these relationships and a savvy development professional must learn to adapt their interactions to meet the needs of a donor as their way of interacting changes. This article shares the most common changes that are seen with donors as they age, offers suggestions to keep the relationship strong and provides a glimpse into the science behind many of the conditions people experience as they age.