Education
Community and senior centers
Senior centers are major partners in the aging network, providing a range of services to older adults, including facilities, activities, programs, and congregate meals, as well as educational opportunities and cultural endeavors. The National Institute of Senior Centers (NISC) estimates that every year, an estimated 12,000 senior centers serve about 10 million older adults nationwide, less than 10 percent of the older adult population.
The goal of the senior centers is to provide educational programs, health promotion activities, and social skill development. Furthermore, senior centers aim to provide older adults with a social environment that encourages a social support system. Educational activities provided by various senior centers range from learning foreign languages to using personal computers. According to a study of senior centers in seven states, including Texas, senior center assistance assisted 87 percent of participants increase their knowledge, and helped 75 percent of participants learn a new skill.
Funding sources and community needs, however, make each center unique. While some centers provide various recreational and educational opportunities such as classes in oil painting, foreign language, or pottery, others can only provide basic services, such as nutrition, health screenings, congregate meals, and table games, many senior centers lack sufficient funding to expand their educational programs.
Updated: November 2, 2007
