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Hi!
Last week, I celebrated my birthday—and I am happy to be at an age when I can enjoy all that senior centers have to offer!
September is National Senior Center Month. This year’s theme, “Happier Birthdays Happen Here,” is a wonderful reminder that growing older can bring new opportunities for friendship, learning, laughter and community.
Senior centers are much more than a place to pass the time. They are welcoming community spaces where we can meet new people, reconnect with friends and take part in activities that make life fuller. Depending on the center, you may find exercise and wellness programs, classes, cards and games, crafts, lunches, trips, guest speakers, volunteer opportunities and special events.
Senior centers can also be a place to turn when we need practical help.
Many centers can help us complete applications for assistance programs, renew benefits, use online forms or connect with a trusted local organization that can help. If we have questions about food assistance, heating help, health coverage, transportation or another community resource, we can call our local center and ask what support or referrals may be available. Services vary, and some assistance may require an appointment, but it is always worth asking.
For those of us who are caregivers, a senior center may offer a meaningful activity for the person we support, useful information about services or a chance to meet others who understand the joys and challenges of caregiving. Connection matters at every age.
RI Elder Info’s Senior Centers guide can help you find centers across Rhode Island. Some have membership fees, which may be waived based on income, and each center has its own programs, hours and eligibility guidelines.
So, in honor of Senior Center Month—and my birthday—I encourage you to visit a center, make a call or invite a friend to join you.
You may go looking for an activity and discover a new connection, a helpful resource and one more reason to celebrate the years ahead.
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