GROW

with Parks and Recreation

Not Your Grandma’s Senior Center

For many older adults, when they think of a senior center the image that comes to mind is a sedentary group of 80-somethings seated around a table hovering over bingo cards. Even if they are age 50+ and are eligible to participate in programs, they don’t feel the senior center is for them. This view of the senior center is typical among the younger group of older Americans eligible for senior programs and highlights the ongoing challenge in the Active Adult industry in serving a highly diverse subset of the population that ranges from those ages 50 to 100+ and spans three generations.

Senior centers and senior programs of the past were geared toward more passive activities, the bingo-like programs. But today’s active adult is much different than those of the Silent Generation. Today’s “senior” is typically still working, maybe caring for aging parents and helping to care for grandchildren. They enjoy active and social activities and expect to age in place with high-quality amenities and programs in their communities to meet their needs.

As the industry has shifted, the Denton Parks and Recreation’s Active Adult Division has also shifted in its approach to programming for the 50 and better community. From providing age and need-specific fitness programs, opportunities for travel locally and abroad, and continuing education programs, active adults in our community have many choices for leisure services. Realizing Denton’s adult 50+ population will continue to grow by 2.3% over the next 5 years, the challenge for our community will be how do we continue to meet the need of this ever-growing group.