NEVER A DULL (SENIOR) MOMENT Senior centers put fun and care front and center
By Geri Dietze All people have one thing in common: We’re getting older day by day. Then again, Mick Jagger is 79 and still tours with that band of his…so clearly, this is not your grandfather’s retirement. While Jagger’s lifestyle may be anathema to the lives of most seniors, in the 2020s, aging in America looks and feels quite different than it used to. Northwest Michigan, specifically Traverse City and Petoskey, has become one of the nation’s preferred regions for retirees. And, why not? These vibrant locales meet all the criteria for those of a certain age: cultural and educational venues, walkable neighborhoods and downtowns, stunning natural beauty, and easy access to top-tier healthcare. Plus, solid programs catering to their interests and needs. GRAND TRAVERSE COUNTY: Growing by the Day In Grand Traverse County, the Senior Center Network includes Traverse City, plus Fife Lake, Interlochen, and Kingsley, collectively offering over 100 programs focused on sports, health and wellness, enrichment, travel, and all-around fun. Activities are as varied as anything
one would find at a resort, country club, or athletic club: golf and tennis, cycling and hiking, kayaking and paddleboarding, plus skiing and snowshoeing in the cold months. Indoor games include billiards, poker, Mahjong, euchre, and more. There are fitness classes for all levels, from yoga and cardio drumming (a fun workout with drumsticks and large exercise balls) to zumba and Pilates. But wait—there’s more! There are social groups who discuss topics both serious and light and plenty of opportunities for volunteering and civic engagement. Free online learning offers hundreds of class choices. Some members come regularly for lunch, served three days a week. And travelers enjoy guided day trips or locations farther afield: Mackinac Island or Ireland; Great Lakes lighthouses or New York. As one might imagine, the Senior Center Network is hopping. “People come and go throughout the day,” says director Michelle Krumm. “[There’s] morning coffee, billiards, lunch, computer use in the member lounge, [and] the hustle between the various classes and programs throughout the day.” The network is also growing—and fast: There are 5,000 Senior Center Network
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members with an average of 40+ new members joining each month, with no sign of slowing down. Such growth requires funding, and the Grand Traverse Senior Network relies heavily on the 2022 election to renew its previously authorized millage for the next 10 years. (The Senior Network does not receive funding from the $7.1 million grant awarded to the city for a new building.) And, while the millage is considered a low impact tax, costing just $10 for every $100,000 in property value, its effect is far reaching. Currently, the network serves three generations of older adults, 50 and above, and is positioning itself for further growth. “We are developing new programs and opportunities for this dynamic generation of older adults, and [we] have an eye towards the future, with the leading age of Generation X turning 60 in 2025,” Krumm says. Those intergenerational members are easy to find. For example, Pat Hall was a nurse for many decades, finally retiring at age 80 to take care of her husband. Now widowed and a dementia patient, Pat, at 84, lives with her daughter Sue. Mother and daughter do two classes weekly, cardio drumming and Move and Shout, a seated activity combining exercise
and vocal elements particularly effective for those with Parkinson’s, dementia, and Alzheimer’s. But that’s not all the duo is up to. “We did a six-week art class at Interlochen,” Sue adds. “We go to parties, and we are looking at taking some of the shorter day trips.” And, while there are more active classes that interest Sue, right now she is focused on her mother’s well-being. “Everything I do involves my mom,” she says. EMMET COUNTY: You’ve Got to Have Friends The Friendship Centers of Emmet County include the Petoskey location and the Huber Senior Center in Brutus. “Our seniors are pretty active and get around,” says Char Delis, director of marketing and development. “They love to have fun.” The Friendship Centers of Emmet County also acts as the county’s Council on Aging, making it responsible to the state for a range of vital senior services, including inhome health care, light duty housekeeping, and respite care, in addition to vaccination clinics, hearing screenings, fall assessments, blood pressure monitoring, and much more. Plus, the center is also the only organization that administers daily Meals on Wheels, now in its 50th year in Emmet
