Center also provides a place for seniors to enjoy time together
Published in the Feb. 5, 2014 issue of Morgan Hill Life
By Staff Report
Senior citizens enjoy a friendly game of pool at the Centenniel Recreation Senior Center.
Photo courtesy Mt. Madonna YMCA
The Centennial Recreation Senior Center is a “one-stop” shop for older adults in the community, providing them with many special services and life resources to make their golden years more enjoyable and secure.
Senior support services offer a wide variety of programs including the popular mid-day lunch at the Senior Cafe, blood pressure screening, health insurance consulting and $5 haircuts on the third Thursday of every month, said Denise Melroy, program coordinator for the Senior Center.
“It’s very difficult to pick the most popular service in the Senior Center because so many of the older adults in the community use most of the services,” she said. “Perhaps one program that is used heavily during this time of year is our AARP Tax Preparation program. This program is conducted by trained tax counselors, and prepares and files federal and state income taxes for adults older than 60 every year from February through April.”
One of the most popular programs is the center’s Arthritis Foundation Exercise class which meets twice a week and has an average of 30 participants, Melroy said. The class helps seniors develop their balance, flexibility and strength.
Morgan Hill City and the Mt. Madonna YMCA have a partnership that is a national model for joint operations of the CRC and the Senior Center which has developed the senior support services for local residents, she said.
The city provides the Senior Center with the “in kind” reward of the modern CRC facility where the Senior Center is located. The City also provides other funding for senior services and programs.
Senior citizens enjoy a game of cards at the Centennial Recreation Senior Center.
Photo courtesy Mt. Madonna YMCA
Other services include a dementia caregiver support group, hearing screenings and hearing aid cleaning, and free legal assistance counseling. For seniors and disabled adults who might not be able to drive to the center, the Outreach program provides qualifying individuals with access to the CRC and Senior Center seven days a week.
The Senior Center serves between 200 and 250 seniors a day five days a week, Melroy said. While the lunch nutrition program serves older adults, with an average age of 77, the senior programs, particularly many of the fitness classes, serve a much younger demographic starting at age 50.
Besides support services, the Senior Center provides a fun place for older adults to make new friends and enjoy leisure time with each other, Melroy said.
“I love my job here,” she said. “I enjoy the many conversations and stories that I hear and participate in each day. I enjoy watching new friendships blossom from people who need companionship in order to escape from the social isolation that many older adults experience.”
