Question

What benefits does a Senior Center have for the older adults?

Answer 1

Ans) Senior centers serve as a gateway to the nation's aging network—connecting older adults to vital community services that can help them stay healthy and independent. More than 60% of senior centers are designated focal points for delivery of OAA services—allowing older adults to access multiple services in one place.

• Senior centers keep seniors engaged in the community.
- Seniors can participate in many different volunteer programs through their local senior center. Volunteers can choose how, where and how many hours they want to serve in their community through many different nonprofit opportunities. Programs like RSVP of Kent County allow seniors to lend a hand in their community while connecting with peers and making new friendships.

• Senior centers care about keeping seniors healthy.
- Many seniors centers offer ways to improve seniors’ health such as exercise facilities, blood pressure checks, nutritious meals and cooking classes. Senior Neighbors even offers lifestyle courses such as A Matter of Balance focusing on falls prevention and helping seniors master their fear of falling, ultimately keeping them confident and active.

• Senior centers even offer home maintenance services to help seniors stay safe in their home longer.
- Maintaining a home can be difficult, especially as we age. Many senior centers are dedicated to helping keep seniors in their homes longer and so they offer a variety of minor home repairs and seasonal care services to seniors who may not be able to complete these tasks on their own.

• Senior centers provide transportation for seniors to stay active and social.
- Giving seniors the ability to get to the grocery store, health care appointments and social events when driving isn’t an option helps maintain independence. Senior Neighbors offers many different transportation options such as Grand Rapids City Bus tickets for public transportation and they even have their own buses for seniors without access to a Rapid bus stop.