The Gary & Mary West Center was spacious, light, professional, and extremely crowded. Immediately upon entering, we noticed an activity room full of people waiting for their lunch to be served, a noisy exercise class of seniors pushing their personal fitness, and a spacious cafeteria with handmade, upcycled flowers on each table. Overall, we could tell that the space was necessary. I mean, there’s a reason so many seniors are drawn to it.
Our friendly guide, Paul Downey, repeated that the center is meant to be a “full stop shop,” in terms of offering supportive services to seniors, legally, medically, and personally. We heard again that the #1 reason seniors come to the center is for the opportunity to socialize… so we did just that.
Everyone in the class split up and had a chat with someone in the cafeteria. I spoke to a woman I recognized from prior trips downtown, and learned a lot about her family in Jalisco. Her father was a hardworking agricultural worker and her mother was an extremely generous seamstress, who would sew clothing for all the poorest children in their town. She raved about the exercise classes at the Center, saying that the teacher is bien estricta, very strict. All other Life Course Scholars said they felt welcomed by the seniors and were able to engage in meaningful, long-lasting conversations about their lives, upbringings, current conditions, etc. I look forward to the Senior Prom and to meeting more of the West Center’s “regulars.”
Our friendly guide, Paul Downey, repeated that the center is meant to be a “full stop shop,” in terms of offering supportive services to seniors, legally, medically, and personally. We heard again that the #1 reason seniors come to the center is for the opportunity to socialize… so we did just that.
Everyone in the class split up and had a chat with someone in the cafeteria. I spoke to a woman I recognized from prior trips downtown, and learned a lot about her family in Jalisco. Her father was a hardworking agricultural worker and her mother was an extremely generous seamstress, who would sew clothing for all the poorest children in their town. She raved about the exercise classes at the Center, saying that the teacher is bien estricta, very strict. All other Life Course Scholars said they felt welcomed by the seniors and were able to engage in meaningful, long-lasting conversations about their lives, upbringings, current conditions, etc. I look forward to the Senior Prom and to meeting more of the West Center’s “regulars.”