Our Senior Center Finally Reopened

OneEyedDiva

OneEyedDiva

SF VIP
Location
New Jersey
It had been closed since COVID really hit at the end of April 2020. The downers: This was the first week back and the new transport they are using (county run) is terrible; they just don't have it together. We no longer get calls to tell us they are close by like the city transport did. Yesterday they picked up 4 of us and when the driver came to take us home, he said he only was supposed to take 2 of us! How were the other 2 supposed to get home? I don't see how that possibly could have happened. Anyway, our site manager got on the phone and after a few tries got through to the boss who corrected the issue. Also 3 or 4 of our members have died.

On the good side, it was nice to see some of the members again. Many didn't show up this week though. The tables, which are very adequately separated, are long and there was only supposed to be two people at a table but some people didn't adhere to that. I sat at a table by myself yesterday and shared a table on Tuesday with a woman who sadly is in 4th stage dementia. She sat with 3 other women yesterday. I've been "elected" to lead the exercising because I have good music on my tablet and use my JBL clip as a speaker. Good thing I brought it because when the men revamped the building, someone stole the CD player. The members enjoy the exercise sessions so much. The food is decent but it is being served differently...the snacks and drinks in one plastic handle bag and the meals in corrugated trays are brought out in another plastic handle bag, both bags tightly tied. So far it seems that the meals used to be better. But since I can never finish the full course meals when I'm there, I have leftovers for later or another day. I hate to cook so it comes in handy. For only $1.25 each visit, we get some type of breakfast food, coffee and tea and the lunch, which is actually more like a dinner, along with a small dessert item and fruit. We used to get soup and/or salad too but this week we did not. I guess because of the way it's served it would be hard. Also they are short handed.

Have you ever attended a senior center? If not, would you consider it?
 

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I’ve taken several exercise classes and a Zentangle class at our senior center. I had just signed up for an eight week strength training class when the Delta variant started getting bad. My husband was concerned that I would be exposed so I didn’t start the session :( . The center closed for about six weeks (maybe more) when Covid first began.

I could wear a mask but I’d probably pass out while exercising lol.
 
Good to hear you have somewhere to go again. Sounds like a nice way to spend time. I think I'd give it a try. Maybe the one in county seat rather than in one of the smaller towns here though.
 

I've never been to one but I would like to give it a try.

Walking in cold would be very difficult for me.

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Aunt Bea, I’m the same way. I had to force myself to join and go to classes. I’m very introverted, so it’s hard for me to participate in things that require socializing. People who do not experience this have no idea how hard it is to engage in seemingly easy activities or events.
 
Oldntired said:
Aunt Bea, I’m the same way. I had to force myself to join and go to classes. I’m very introverted, so it’s hard for me to participate in things that require socializing. People who do not experience this have no idea how hard it is to engage in seemingly easy activities or events.
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Very true.

Our senior centre is still closed and will be until likely January at the earliest.
 
My stepdaughter worked at one in Washington State and while I was up in that area, I went to one of their Senior Citizen Dinners. The food was actually pretty good, and the price was, ..... well free for all practical purposes. My wife was not on that trip with me and I quickly discovered that women outnumbered men by at least 10 to 1.

LOL, I ate fast and headed for the door.
 
I did tai chi in a mask for 4 months at our senior center. Still waiting for the pool to reopen(October $) so I can do a water class. Many more people there the past month but masks are required again even for vaccinated.
 
Hubby and I took a tai chi class at the Senior Centre up the street. We had a couple of meals there that were very good value (dessert & beverage included) .. around $6 per meal.

I was going every 6 mos. to the visiting dental hygienist who was charging much less than my regular dentist. She has not been available since the start of Covid.
 
They don't call it a Senior Centre here, they call it an Active Lifestyle Centre and checking it out as a guest the first time convinced me to move to this town.....that's how impressed I was.

Membership is around 1500, the largest in Ontario and for good reason.

In addition to the regular programs most offer, they have things such as a woodworking shop that rivals most small commercial shops, also belly dancing, billiards, hair stylists, to name a few.

Sadly only basic now but hoping that will change soon.
 
I guess I must be living in one of the few places without a stand-alone Senior Center; they offer some "senior" classes through a Recreation Center & a seniors' lunch at, get this, a place on the outskirts of town far away from where most seniors live. Sigh.
 
Lee said:
They don't call it a Senior Centre here, they call it an Active Lifestyle Centre and checking it out as a guest the first time convinced me to move to this town.....that's how impressed I was.

Membership is around 1500, the largest in Ontario and for good reason.

In addition to the regular programs most offer, they have things such as a woodworking shop that rivals most small commercial shops, also belly dancing, billiards, hair stylists, to name a few.

Sadly only basic now but hoping that will change soon.
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Wow Lee! Your ALC offers way more than what ours does as well as others in the county, from what I've seen. No wonder you moved! Also our membership is not no where near 1500 people and I don't think it would be even if I included all the centers in the county. Like @Oldntired's center, the basic activities included cards, also bingo. I don't like playing cards and bingo bored me to death. So called professionals came in once a month to conduct exercise classes but other days, senior members who were scheduled did it. After each session, we'd do the electric boogie then walk around the room a few times. We'd be exercising for 30 - 40 minutes. There is no exercise equipment. I like what they call it...the Active Lifestyle Center. Oldntired..too bad you had to cancel your classes!

There were special outings...one to Camp Hope in N.J. but it was more of the same at their indoor site. People from other centers were there with us. The "entertainment" was terrible. The food was decent but I decided the last time they went I wasn't going to bother. My sister is on Camp Hope's board so I asked her to please mention that the entertainment needs to be better. I don't know if the center will be going back during this pandemic.
@Aunt Bea Are you saying you'd have to walk to the center?

There was also an annual trip in February to a dinner theater (during lunch time) to see Dr. K's Motown Review. The food was good, the service was good and the show was great. Dr. K's did their show online this year because of COVID. I don't know if the center will run the trip in 2022. They also took us shopping once a month to different Walmarts that had other stores and restaurants nearby. They gave us plenty of time to shop and eat lunch.

@Pecos Ooooh MB. I bet those little old ladies would have loved to get their hands on you! LOL :D No wonder you ran out of there.
 
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