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 that 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, often quite 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.
