adminSeptember is National Senior Center Month and this year’s theme is
Find balance at your center!
Across the country, more and more people are beginning to recognize their local senior center isn’t what it used to be – it’s a lot more! According to the National Council on Aging (NCOA) there are 11,400 senior centers across the US that serve more than 1 million older adults every day. Thanks to the Older Americans Act (OAA), senior centers have become a community focal point and one of the most widely used services among America’s older adults.
NCOA also shared that when compared with their peers, senior center participants have higher levels of health, social interaction, and life satisfaction. They go on to say that research shows participants learn to manage and delay the onset of chronic disease and experience measurable improvements in their physical, social, spiritual, emotional, mental, and economic well-being. The 2016 theme focuses on a great balance of purpose, fitness, friendship, and learning.
Senior centers typically offer a wide variety of programs and services such as, but certainly not limited to, the following:
* Meal and nutritional programs
* Health, fitness, and wellness programs
* Computer/technology learning programs
* Public benefits counseling
* Employment assistance
* Volunteer and civic engagement opportunities
* Social and recreational activities
* Educational and arts programs
Locally Messiah Lifeways sponsors and operates two senior centers, Mechanicsburg Place: A Senior Center and More located at 97 W. Portland Street and Branch Creek Place: A Senior Center and More located on 115 N. Fayette Street in Shippensburg. This collaborative effort between Messiah Lifeways, local and county officials, and the Cumberland County Department of Aging and Community Services further demonstrates the commitment to and value of local senior centers.
These senior centers are friendly community gathering places where you can connect, volunteer, enjoy cultural experiences, take educational classes and a lot more. Activities like line dancing, low impact exercise, health screenings and flu shots help members stay well and active. Members also experience culture with bus trips and outings to local restaurants, theaters and historical sites. They also have many opportunities to connect with others at meal time, game time or while playing pool or singing in the chorus. Participants also have many ways to grow and learn by taking computer classes, health and safety classes or simply by meeting new people. And like most senior centers, volunteering is a big part of the experience. Whether it’s helping out at the center by answering phones, serving lunch or helping out with community service projects, members can share their time and talents.
Mechanicsburg Place was chosen as one of ten senior centers in Pennsylvania to host a program called the “Sip and Swipe Café.” It’s part of the center where members can get a cup of coffee and free lessons on how to use an iPad by trained instructors. There are multiple tablets for them to use on a regular basis. This calls to mind that senior centers are making great effort reinventing themselves. Meeting the needs and desires of the aging baby boom generation has helped inspire these changes. Senior centers are developing new programs and opportunities for this dynamic generation of older adults.
As we celebrate National Senior Center Month, get out there and check out what’s new and exciting at your local senior center. Plus, to learn more about Mechanicsburg Place: A Senior Center and More, please call 717.697.5947 or visit MessiahLifeways.org/MechPlace or to learn more about Branch Creek Place: A Senior Center and More, please call 717.300.3563 or visit MessiahLifeways.org/BranchCreek.
