community centers for the elderly

We have a wonderful community center for the elderly in our neighborhood. It isn't a neighborhood facility. It just happens to be right up the street. The center is a service provided by our county. They have a gym, pool table, card playing room, activity room among many other rooms where they hold educational and recreational activities. This is something that would definitely appeal to me in my older years. I beleive community is so important to our vitality.

Do your parents attend anything like this in their community? I'd love to get my dad to go. He continues to lose loved ones and his circle of good friends is getting smaller with each passing year. I think it would be good for him.

We have centers like that in Honolulu. My mom loves
the one nearest to where she lives. She is pretty
active, learning hula and other activities via the
center.
She also lives in a senior apartment building which
also has a "center" and that also helps to keep
her busy.
She also volunteers 20 hours a week as a "foster
grandparent." I intend to be just as busy when I
get to that age : )

Diamond, your mom is an inspiration. You are lucky to have such a good role model.

We have a very active senior center in our town. They have lots of things going on, and the people who belong enjoy it. I'm old enough to join but have resisted. Unfortunately, it is very clicquey (Sp?) and these women are always saying nasty things about others. Not my kind of place right now.

Thank you, Dotsie. I'll be happy if she stays
this way for the next five years or so. Sometimes
I tell her to slow down, like when she tells me she
has no time to clean her apartment. Then I offer
to help her but she insists not. Oh well.

My mon is 91, and I have given up trying to get her to slow down. I think it's something she's incapable of doing. She doesn't accept offers of help easily, either, although she gives in if I insist.