Elderly Development
Winter 2013_14 • Vol. 37 .
No. 4 | 75 GENERATIONS – Journal of the American Society on Aging Copyright © 2013 American Society on Aging; all rights reserved. This article may not be duplicated, reprinted or distributed in any form without written permission from the publisher: American Society on Aging, 575 Market St., Suite 2100, San Francisco, CA 94105-2869; e-mail: [email protected] . For information about ASA’s publications visit www.asaging.org/publications . For information about ASA membership visit www.asaging.org/join . A milestone celebration happened last year, with little fanfare: The year 2013 marked the seventieth anniversary of the nation’s first senior center. Although clubs for seniors have existed since the 1800s, in 1943 the idea of a publicly sponsored community center, estab - lished specifically to meet the needs of older adults, came to fruition. The William Hodson Community Center was established in New York City as a place where elders could gather to pursue social, physical, and intellectual activi- ties; expand their talents; and find support through essential services. Senior Centers: In Need of a Makeover?
With the passage of the Older Americans Act (OAA) in 1965 and later through federal funding for senior centers in the 1970s, the creation of senior centers took off. Today it is estimated that there are between 10,000 to 16,000 senior centers across the nation (Generations United, 2006). The 1978 amendments to the OAA stressed that senior centers should serve as the “focal point” for service delivery for seniors. And for the most part, they have. In the past thirty years, centers have continued to expand the breadth and scope of services offered, which typically include health and wellness programs, meal programs, educational opportunities, recreational activities, employment assistance, financial assistance, intergenerational programs, and volunteer opportunities.
Although most senior centers’ core compo - nents continue to have great value, without a major makeover in physical space, programming, and marketing, it is not surprising that aging baby boomers, who reject the idea that they are aging and do not identify themselves as “seniors,” are not attending traditional senior centers as have previous generations of elders. Without an influx of the new “young-old,” the average age of today’s senior center participants is seventy to eighty years old. For senior centers now and in the next decade, a major challenge is to balance ways to meet the needs of future generations of older adults, while still meeting the needs of the current generation of older adults. Options for Modernization The setting and programs traditional senior centers offer need to be reconsidered in light of the changing face of the aging population. The National Institute of Senior Centers has led policy and program discussions on this topic, and many states and municipalities have undertaken lengthy studies, asking older adults, caregivers, and the By Sandy Markwood As we mark the seventieth anniversary of America’s first senior center, a question occurs:
How can centers rethink setting and programming to serve coming generations of elders? Is the Senior Center Here to Stay ? GENERATIONS – Journal of the American Society on AgingPages 75–76 76 | Winter 2013–14 • Vol. 37 .
No. 4 Copyright © 2013 American Society on Aging; all rights reserved. This article may not be duplicated, reprinted or distributed in any form without written permission from the publisher: American Society on Aging, 575 Market St., Suite 2100, San Francisco, CA 94105-2869; e-mail: [email protected] . For information about ASA’s publications visit www.asaging.org/publications . For information about ASA membership visit www.asaging.org/join . community for help in determining how the fu- ture “senior” center should look and feel. These discussions have resulted in a recommitment to the purpose and a recognition of the value of community focal points for older adults. At the same time, debates continue on how we define what were in the past called senior centers.
A range of options is emerging for creating community focal points for older adults and others in the community. One is to modernize existing age-segregated centers and market them as “Health and Wellness Centers,” “Vital Aging Centers,” or “Senior Spas,” which would involve revamped programming to include health and wellness classes, a range of fitness classes (like tai chi, reiki, pilates, and yoga), personal train- ers, financial and retirement seminars, benefits counseling, café dining and coffee houses, and culture and travel services. Another option is to create intergenerational community centers that include targeted ac- tivities and programs specifically for older adults, but also have “ageless” activities and services. A variety of senior activities can hap- pen outside centers and in the community, such as health education classes on Monday at the hospital, computer or tech training at the com- munity college on Tuesday, fitness classes at the recreational center on Wednesday, lifelong learning classes at the library on Thursday, and financial planning courses at the local mall on Friday. Also, virtual senior spaces enable older adults to connect through websites, chat rooms, discussion forums, online training, and tele - health assessments.
Maintaining Connections Whatever options communities choose, the inherent purpose of senior centers must be maintained: to connect older adults to critical services and supports, and to serve as a place to connect elders to each other and to people in the community. This can stave off isolation and encourage engagement. Where that purpose manifests itself can take many physical forms, as long as they are easily accessible, attractive (no one of any age wants to go to a location that is unpleasant or uninviting), and age-appropriate (even if programming and services are available to all, they must also meet the specific needs of older adults). Finally, op- tions must be affordable because it is unlikely that they can be offered for free. Given the limitation of current funding streams and rising demand, some services and activities will likely need to be offered at a set or subsidized fee.
Celebrate and Re-Imagine Like any milestone, a seventieth anniversary is cause for celebration and reflection. There are ample opportunities to rethink the “senior” center or community focal point of the future, given the rising numbers of older adults, the diversity in the aging population, the changing outlook and vision of older adults on age and engagement, and the growing reality of costs for public places and services. At the same time, we must not lose the sense of purpose that led to the creation of the William Hodson Community Center in 1943—to ensure that all older adults now and in the future have a place in their community to gather to pursue social, physical, and intellectual activities, and to expand their talents and link them to essential services.
Sandy Markwood is the chief executive officer of the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging in Washington, D.C.
References Generations United. 2006. “Intergenerational Shared Sites: Making the Case.” www.gu.org/LinkClick.aspx?f ileticket=iMXIx4uF5nI%3D&tabid=157&mid=606.
Retrieved December 19, 2013. Intergenerational community centers could include targeted programs for elders and ‘ageless’ activities. R epro duce d w ith p erm is sio n o f th e c o pyrig ht o w ner. F urth er r e pro ductio n p ro hib ite d w ith out p erm is sio n.
