Today’s Senior Centers
Senior centers are not what they used to be. The days of having only bingo and card games available are long gone (for the most part). Many of today’s senior centers act as a social hub and provide a wide variety of programs and activities for seniors. The goal of senior centers is to connect seniors to community services while helping them to remain active and independent. And they are doing just that.
According to the National Council on Aging, research shows that when compared with their peers, senior center participants have higher levels of health, social interaction, and life satisfaction. As the boomer generation ages, more and more seniors are looking for social outlets and senior centers fit the bill.
There are an estimated 11,000 senior centers across the country serving over 1 million seniors each day. Most centers offer a wide variety of programs and services including fitness programs (some locations offer a fitness center), jobs and volunteering programs, social activities and outings, and transportation options and more.
Here are some of the programs and activities you may find available at your local senior center:
- Meal and nutrition programs
- Health and wellness programs
- Tai Chi / Aerobics
- Fitness center
- Walking groups / programs
- Transportation assistance
- Employment assistance
- Volunteering opportunities
- Group travel excursions
- Luncheons
- Dances
- Fundraisers
- Legal services
- Library services
- Genealogy services
- Book clubs
- Arts and Crafts
- Educational classes (computer, history, foreign languages, etc)
- Cards and board games (still popular)
Although the average age of senior center patrons is 75, many centers are seeing an influx of younger seniors 55+ which is leading to more innovative programs and activities development.
Locate a Senior Center Near You:
California (Los Angeles)
California (San Diego)
If you’re not in one of these areas, just do a Google search for “senior center” in your area. Just about every city has a resource listing on their city government’s website.
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