Senior center offer a framework for retirement
Retirement offers numerous benefits. These include free time to pursue interests, travel and spend with your loved ones. However, retirement can also bring significant challenges. Many retirees have difficulty dealing with this significant life change. Some unexpected consequences of retirement can include boredom, lacking a sense of purpose, financial insecurity, and social isolation.
To successfully navigate retirement, you need a new structure for your post-employment life. Switching from packed workdays to open-ended schedules can be daunting at first. Many retirees don’t know what to do with their time once the work schedule stops.
The solution is at your local senior community center. When Sheila Roberson, of Lawncrest, turned 60 last December, she was encouraged by her neighbor Evelyn Nelson to check out Philadelphia Senior Center – Avenue of the Arts (PSC – Arts). Nelson, 83, enjoys Skip-Bo card games, ballet and line dance at the center.
“I was a Certified Nurse Aide for 30 years. I never thought I would want to be around older adults after I retired,” said Roberson. “But soon discovered that I love talking to older people. That’s my gift.”
She was happy to find that senior centers have much more to offer than socializing. “They have a lot of activities,” she said. “The meals are good. They go on trips. They help you out, too. If you’re on a fixed income, the staff are very supportive and help you out if you are in need.”
Nelson is not new to retirement. She was forced to stop working in 2013 due to chronic health issues. “When I first retired, I was going back-and-forth to doctor’s appointments due to osteoarthritis. You get stiff just sitting around the house.”
Though it may seem counterintuitive, a more relaxed lifestyle may actually be detrimental to your health. Lack of “physical activity and sedentary behavior are major risk factors for chronic disease. These behaviors may change at retirement with implications for health in later life,” according to the National Library of Medicine.
“Since I’ve been going to the center and moving more, I’ve been doing good,” she said. Going there “helps me stay active.”
Nelson participates in Zumba dance-exercise classes and uses the stationary bike in the center’s Fitness Room. She completed the Arthritis Foundation’s six-week Walk with Ease program in mid-August.
“We walked a mile each session, together, as a group. I even lost some pounds,” said Nelson, who wants to look into starting a regular Walking Club at PSC – Arts. “Everybody had a great time, while being active. We want to continue.”
In addition to physical fitness, Nelson is also keeping her mind active. Before retirement, Nelson never had done any formal writing. Now, she participates in the weekly Storytelling & Writing sessions at PSC – Arts. “In this writing group, you are encouraged to share your personal stories,” she said. “The instructor encourages you to get your emotions out through writing, instead of keeping everything inside. It’s a form of art therapy through self-expression.”
There is so much to do at senior centers that most members come regularly and stay all day. Nelson attends PSC – Arts 2-3 times each week. “Sometimes, I go every weekday. The meals are great. We get coffee or tea, with hot and cold meal options each day,” Nelson said. “The staff is great. Everything is so organized and clean. It’s a very welcoming space.”
Come and try out everything that senior centers have to offer! You will find a warm welcome at any of the 28 senior community centers or satellite meal locations that are supported by Philadelphia Corporation for Aging (PCA). For locations, see pages 8-9.
Alicia M. Colombo is the editor of Milestones.
