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With September being National Senior Center Month, the Pleasanton Senior Center has been using the opportunity to remind older residents that finding fun, engaging activities and a sense of belonging doesn’t have to be challenging as they age.
“Whether someone is interested in fitness, lifelong learning, creative arts, technology, travel, volunteering, or simply meeting new friends, there’s truly something for everyone,” Nicole Thomas, recreation supervisor for the city of Pleasanton, stated in a recent press release. “National Senior Center Month is the perfect opportunity to visit, explore, and see firsthand how today’s senior centers are helping older adults thrive.”
Every day, roughly 11,000 Americans turn 65 years old, according to the National Council on Aging, an organization that supports and advocates for older adults.
But, just as there are thousands of aging adults, there are also more than 10,000 senior centers across the country that “help older adults improve their health, reduce social isolation, discover new passions, and access services that enhance quality of life”.
“Visit your local senior center, and you will instantly find community and joy,” Dianne Stone, the council’s associate director of community partnerships and network activation, said in an Aug. 27 press release.
The Pleasanton Senior Center still has a couple of events lined up for National Senior Center Month, which is sponsored by the national council, that are meant to emphasize the “important role senior centers play in helping older adults remain healthy, connected, independent, and engaged”.
“This is a perfect place for them to come meet new friends,” Agnes Sowul, a program assistant for the city’s library and recreation department, told the Pleasanton Weekly. “Some of them live alone, they do not have friends … so this is a great place they can take activities, classes, arts and crafts, they can lunch and just be here.”
The theme for this year’s National Senior Center Month is “Powering Possibilities: Flip the Script”, which encourages community members to “challenge outdated stereotypes about aging and recognize today’s senior centers as vibrant hubs for lifelong learning, health, creativity, friendship, and purpose”, according to Pleasanton officials.
This year’s celebrations began in Pleasanton on Sept. 1 with a social event that featured ice cream, games and a visit from Valley Humane Society’s Canine Comfort dogs.
Last week, seniors were able to visit the center during an open house all day and learn about other community organizations, programs available at the Pleasanton Senior Center and all of the services offered.
The center will also be hosting a presentation, titled “Living Your Best Life”, next Tuesday (Sept. 22) which will explore the “eight dimensions of wellness, healthy nutrition, and practical strategies for aging well”, according to Pleasanton officials.
Finally, the center is hosting a “Taste of Chocolate” event on Sept. 28, which has sold out. The event, which is being sponsored by the Friends of the Pleasanton Senior Center organization, will feature artisan chocolates from around the world that seniors could sample.
Other senior centers across the Tri-Valley that aren’t tied to the National Council on Aging will also be hosting several events this month.
The Dublin Senior Center will be organizing an “End of Summer Social” on Sept. 24 starting at 1 p.m. as part of its National Senior Center Month celebrations.
The Livermore Area Recreation and Park District is also offering a wide variety of programs and events for seniors this month. According to its website, some of those events include a movie night at the Robert Livermore Community Center on Sept. 21, a senior trip to Sausalito on Sept. 24 and several crafting crafting classes.
But Pleasanton’s senior center isn’t just limited to this month’s events. There’s a wide array of fitness classes, social activities, tutoring, wellness programs, congregate lunches and travel opportunities that the center offers.
One of those additional amenities is the Peddler Shoppe, a small gift shop located at the very entrance of the center that sells handmade, unique items made by seniors in the Tri-Valley.
Joanne Lombardi, a 50-year resident of Pleasanton, said she has been volunteering at the center for more than 10 years and that working at the small shop has shown her just how important it is to have accessible places for seniors to commune.
She said she frequently talks to people at the center and that sometimes, having even a quick and simple conversation can mean the world to seniors.
“I think of it as being a community where everybody gets to know something or gets to come in and talk to somebody during the day,” she said.
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