Published in the Jan. 8, 2014 issue of Morgan Hill Life

An important component of the Senior Cafe is encouraging seniors to make new friends

By Staff Report

Baked salmon filet, homemade chicken enchiladas, old-fashioned meat loaf, or tender barbecue ribs — Morgan Hill senior Mahmoud Mohlavi knows that from Mondays through Fridays at the Centennial Recreation Center’s Senior Center, he’ll find a hearty and nutritious noon lunch waiting for him at the Senior Cafe. The daily dining experience for seniors is one of the most popular programs offered as part of the partnership between the city of Morgan Hill and the Mt. Madonna YMCA.

Mohlavi started coming for the Senior Cafe lunches about seven months ago.

“The food is good in comparison to the rate that they charge,” he said. “It’s tasty.”

Photo by Marty Cheek Volunteer Bernice Lawrence, Program Coordinator Denise Melroy and Mahmoud Mohlavi during a recent lunch at the senior center. An average of about 70 seniors attend the daily lunches.

Photo by Marty Cheek
Volunteer Bernice Lawrence, Program Coordinator Denise Melroy and Mahmoud Mohlavi during a recent lunch at the senior center. An average of about 70 seniors attend the daily lunches.

The hot lunch meals are prepared in the Senior Center’s kitchen by cook Sandra Madriles and aide Alma Ramos. The program is subsidized by Santa Clara County and the YMCA for seniors aged 60 or older. The suggested contribution is $3 per meal and participants in the program can get a meal ticket for $30. Guests younger than 60 are required to pay $8 for a meal.

“Sandra is a fabulous cook,” said Denise Melroy, program coordinator for the Senior Center. “We are a little bit different from other senior cafes because we have a cook on the site. She cooks the lunches fresh every single day.”

The Senior Cafe started out as a nutrition program when the Mt. Madonna YMCA had its site at Crest Avenue.

After the recreation center was built, other services provided at the Senior Center added greatly to local senior citizen’s quality of life, Melroy said.

“We have now so many senior services that the cafe is almost in the corner rather than in the core,” she said. “With the recreation center, there are many seniors who go here and have a workout, get a shower and then come for lunch.”

An important component of the Senior Cafe is encouraging seniors to make new friends, Melroy said. To encourage involvement prior to the noon meal, the seniors often can enjoy a game of bingo, listen to musicians or watch a dance group, or hear an expert talk about an interesting topic.

“One of the biggest issues for seniors today is socialization,” Melroy said. “Their family might be living far, far away or they work all day. So the cafe also adds a place for the seniors to have the socialization that they need. You make friends, you feel good inside and so you’re healthier outside.”

On average, between 68 to 75 seniors come to the meals, although when the barbecue ribs are served the number can jump to more than 100 diners, she said.

“Sometimes, this might be the person’s only meal of the day because it’s hard to cook for one person,” Melroy said. “We serve a balanced diet that’s approved by a county dietitian.”