Senior Centers - The Importance of Our Parents Staying Active and Social

Senior centers offer independence for aging adult. They play a very important role in the lives of seniors today. But most of all, senior centers allow seniors to become and remain social.

Socializing can help seniors with depression. I know, you will say, mom or dad will not go to a senior center. Then make it easy for them. Go along with your parent for the day. Make it an outing and then take them to lunch. Any aging adult who is 60 years old or older can join a senior center. You can also see the things that a senior center has to offer that mom or dad might be interested in or enjoy. Knowing that your parent is at a center can reduce the stress and anxiety you may have about your parents sitting home watching television all day or being alone. The main thing is to get them out and about.

Senior centers allow seniors to develop a social network. They can make and meet new friends. Senior centers offer programs and services like crafts, bingo, fitness, dances classes, travel to theatres, museums, computer classes, health screening, informational speakers, daily meals, birthday luncheons to celebrate each member's birthday and much more. Each senior center usually publishes a monthly calendar with a schedule of daily activities or programs. To get your parent started, sign them up at your local center and tell them that they do not need to go everyday. They can start once a week, playing bingo, let's say. This way they will not feel pressured. You will see that before you know it, mom or dad will be visiting the senior center on a daily basis. The phone calls you will get will be about all the fun things they did for the day, or the new friends they met. They will not have time to watch television at all.

After my father died my mom became withdrawn and depressed. She stopped wanting to go out of the house. My friend suggested I take her to a senior center. My mom who is 80 years old and did not want to go to a senior center. She said it was for old people, but once we got her to go, and she saw what the senior center was about, we encouraged her to join. She started going once a week. Now she is full of life, going everyday, less depressed and so much happier. She now looks forward to each day. She can never decide what to wear. She looks better and feels better it seems. Each month she can't wait to receive her calendar to see what's going on at the center. She has made some new friends that she looks forward to seeing.

I feel seniors centers are the best thing around for seniors today. They allow our parents to keep in touch with their peers and feel important and independent as well as give meaning to their lives. For information on a senior center near you contact your local township.