5/30/2007
A Modern Center Looking for Seniors
By Don Klein
Sitting down to lunch at the Worcester County Senior Center in Snow Hill will be a surprise if you are expecting typical institutional meals or hospital food. It is as good as you will find in most restaurants.
One day last week they served tasty Salisbury steak, creamy mashed potatoes, palatable string beans with a whole wheat bun. Dessert was a portion of sliced peaches, low fat milk and apple juice. If it was not a meal fit for a king, it was as good as you could hope to get for $2, the price charged seniors.
"We get our meals from the school system," said Linda Parks, program coordinator at the center, "they are made up specially for us, not the same as the school menu."
The food is not the only surprise at the two and a half year-old center which welcomes seniors Monday through Thursday every welcomes seniors Monday through Thursday every week for free coffee and Danish pastries in the morning and a variety of lunches at noon It is also a starting point for activities of all kinds throughout the month.
There are board games, water therapy, bus visits to local shopping areas, all kinds of moderate exercises, pet shows, bingo, visits to parks in nearby towns, crafts, picnics, sing-a-longs and a lot of remembrances and reminiscences. They even go to a nearby strawberry field to pick berries.
It is a full schedule of activities for the 20 or more regulars who arrive everyday sometime after the 6.30 a.m. opening at the attractive and well-maintained center. For many, just the companionship is enough.
"Dominoes is the big game here," Ms. Parks acknowledged. Exercising and playing cards are also important activities.
The center at 4767 Snow Hill Road is operated by the Worcester County Commission on Aging, Inc. It also is the home of the Worcester Adult Medical Day Services where those seniors in need of some sort of medical care are attended to from Monday to Friday.
Unlike the senior center habitués who are able to transport themselves, or come by special buses, the day care visitors are often wheelchair bound or in need of some other physical assistance. At the day care center, which shares part of the building with the senior center, there is a registered nurse, therapists and other specialists who work with the participants helping them in personal care.
The adult day services draws as many as 40 adults daily where they are provided with occupational and physical therapy programs for frail or impaired adults to maintain or improve their level of function so they can remain independent for as long as possible.
Gerald Harman is the activity program coordinator and Shirley Carmean, is the registered nurse on duty with three part time assistants. "We order prescriptions, administer medication under doctors' orders and check their vitals signs while they are here," Ms. Carmean said.
Another aspect of the senior center is the distribution of Meals on Wheels. Carole Benson, Ms. Parks' colleague, packages about a dozen hot meals for delivery to shut-ins in the area during lunch time. It is the same meal served to those seniors who come to the center for lunch.
With a larger portion of Americans living longer than ever the center is designed to make life as pleasant as possible. These participants live at home but may need assistance in shopping, or in handling daily chores or in need of personal care.
Not only do the facilities help them with transportation and provide nutritious meals but also offer the benefit of social activities in the day programs. These are designed to diminish the depression of loneliness, or mental illness or even substances abuse. It is a link to other community services and can be a protective service against neglect, abuse or exploitation.
The building housing the double operations of the senior center and the adult day services is named for Charles and Martha Fulton. "Mr. Fulton made a lot of money in the poultry business," Ms. Parks explained. "He donated $250,000 for the construction of this building."
Ms. Parks said Mr. Fulton died recently and his wife survives him.
"We are expecting the delivery of new exercise equipment shortly," Ms. Parks said. "Now we need to get more seniors to attend the center. We make presentations all over the county at churches and other places. We have room for lots more people."
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Uploaded: 5/30/2007
