June 10, 2021
Finding Connection: The Importance of Senior Centers and Care
By the year 2050, the number of adults over the age of 60 will double to 2.1 billion individuals worldwide, and the number of individuals age 80 or above will be 426 million worldwide.
– Tammy Comer, Eppson Center for Seniors, Executive Director
Connection: similar to sunshine on a cloudy day, we don’t always notice how important connecting with others is until we no longer have it. And for some people, especially in a state as vast and spaced as Wyoming, finding opportunities to connect with and experience others can be hard to do. In particular, this is true for older age groups, our senior citizens. No longer in the workforce, they lose this easy and constant source of human interaction and don’t always have access to quality sources to fill that gap. This is where senior centers come in, providing an invaluable service to these beloved members of our communities and families.
“Senior Centers are important to today's aging society for a number of reasons including access to nutritional meals, transportation, activities that stimulate the mind and body, and for the ever important socialization aspect of interacting with other members of the community,” explains Tammy Comer, Executive Director for the Eppson Center for Seniors. “In addition, due to the rural nature of the communities in Wyoming, senior centers are even more important as a binder to keep older adults living independently in their own homes for as long as feasible, while not feeling socially isolated.”
“Most Senior Centers in the State of Wyoming have a variety of programs and offerings including meal programs, transportation programs, wellness services, family caregiver support programs, and activities programs,” continues Comer. “Albany County has just one Senior Center in Laramie, however in other locations such as Carbon County, there are satellite centers that help to meet the local population's needs.”
These centers rely on the love, hard work, and positivity of local community members to carry out their crucial programming. “We could not do the work we do without a large network of caring volunteers. Our Center utilizes volunteer drivers for the Home Delivered Meal (HDM) Program. Ten different volunteers are needed every weekday to deliver meals and provide a "check-in" for our HDM clients to ensure that we are aware of changes for patrons of the program,” describes Comer. “This interaction is sometimes the only interaction the client has all day, so it is a very important piece of our program. We also utilize volunteers to teach our programs and classes, help us with activities, help us with fundraising opportunities, serve on our Board of Directors, and help us take care of our building and grounds in order to provide a beautiful environment for patrons.”
“There are so many ways to give back to our elders and retirees, and it all makes an incredible, pivotal difference,” says Molly Hughes, Executive Director for the Hughes Charitable Foundation. “Giving your time, companionship, and energy through senior center programming and facilities benefits us all, brightening all of our lives with connection, and making sure that these cherished community members have the respect and wellbeing they deserve.”
If you feel called to get involved, reach out to the senior center nearest you, and see what kinds of opportunities are available in your area.
