“Living is more than just surviving,” said Paul, the president of Serving Seniors, a nonprofit organization that provides a broad range of services to low-income seniors. The organization aims to help seniors live fulfilling and meaningful lives beyond surviving. Paul greeted us in front of Serving Seniors’ Gary and Mary West Wellness Center and took us on a tour of the center that was full of vibrant activities.
The Gary and Mary West Center, located in downtown San Diego, lives up to the standards of Serving Seniors in every aspect. The modern-looking building was brightened with natural sunlight that shone through the big windows and open spaces under the high ceiling, creating a warm and energizing environment for visitors to the center. According to Paul, the building was intentionally designed to not look like a nursing home but rather a bright and welcoming place that seniors want to spend time at. I was amazed by the amount of care and consideration put into the physical construction of the center to ensure that the building itself reflects the mission of the organization. This building is home to a variety of services for seniors, including health services and meals, social services, and computer use.
We first learned about the health services offered at the center. There was an exercise class in session, in which an instruction led a group of seniors through light exercises. Also in session was a dental clinic that reflects the organization’s effort to address the lack of dental providers willing to take Denti-Cal, Medi-Cal dental coverage for low-income people including seniors, in San Diego. The dental staff collaborate with other members of the center to ensure that dental patients have a safe place to stay. In addition, the dentistry at the center has a machine that makes tooth crowns in one day, sparing seniors from wearing a temporary crown before revisiting the dentist for a permanent crown. Because a number of seniors do not make a second visit to the dentist after having a temporary crown installed, this one-day crown-making machine was acquired to provide seniors in poverty with the best possible quality of dental care.
We also stopped by the game room and the Cyber Café in the center. The game room is where seniors play board games and socialize. The Cyber Café gives seniors access to computers, and young students often visit the café to teach seniors computer skills and in return engage in meaningful conversations with the seniors. At the end of the tour, we got to hear about the diverse population of seniors that the center serves, the challenges that the center faces, and the influence of current political events on the funds and growth of the center. This discussion allowed me to better understand how public policies transform or define our aging experience and have a significant impact on our elders’ physical and psychological well-being. On the other hand, although public policies define our lives, we do, to a certain extent, have the power to influence or shape these policies to accommodate our aging population.
Our site visit concluded with us serving lunch for the seniors. Before serving lunch, we were encouraged to talk with the seniors because engaging in conversations would mean a lot more than just handing seniors their food. Although it was my first time meeting the seniors at the center, they were very welcoming and warm to me. The experience of talking with the seniors and serving them lunch was delightful, and I am excited to attend the senior prom at the Gary and Mary West Center in the near future.
The Gary and Mary West Center, located in downtown San Diego, lives up to the standards of Serving Seniors in every aspect. The modern-looking building was brightened with natural sunlight that shone through the big windows and open spaces under the high ceiling, creating a warm and energizing environment for visitors to the center. According to Paul, the building was intentionally designed to not look like a nursing home but rather a bright and welcoming place that seniors want to spend time at. I was amazed by the amount of care and consideration put into the physical construction of the center to ensure that the building itself reflects the mission of the organization. This building is home to a variety of services for seniors, including health services and meals, social services, and computer use.
We first learned about the health services offered at the center. There was an exercise class in session, in which an instruction led a group of seniors through light exercises. Also in session was a dental clinic that reflects the organization’s effort to address the lack of dental providers willing to take Denti-Cal, Medi-Cal dental coverage for low-income people including seniors, in San Diego. The dental staff collaborate with other members of the center to ensure that dental patients have a safe place to stay. In addition, the dentistry at the center has a machine that makes tooth crowns in one day, sparing seniors from wearing a temporary crown before revisiting the dentist for a permanent crown. Because a number of seniors do not make a second visit to the dentist after having a temporary crown installed, this one-day crown-making machine was acquired to provide seniors in poverty with the best possible quality of dental care.
We also stopped by the game room and the Cyber Café in the center. The game room is where seniors play board games and socialize. The Cyber Café gives seniors access to computers, and young students often visit the café to teach seniors computer skills and in return engage in meaningful conversations with the seniors. At the end of the tour, we got to hear about the diverse population of seniors that the center serves, the challenges that the center faces, and the influence of current political events on the funds and growth of the center. This discussion allowed me to better understand how public policies transform or define our aging experience and have a significant impact on our elders’ physical and psychological well-being. On the other hand, although public policies define our lives, we do, to a certain extent, have the power to influence or shape these policies to accommodate our aging population.
Our site visit concluded with us serving lunch for the seniors. Before serving lunch, we were encouraged to talk with the seniors because engaging in conversations would mean a lot more than just handing seniors their food. Although it was my first time meeting the seniors at the center, they were very welcoming and warm to me. The experience of talking with the seniors and serving them lunch was delightful, and I am excited to attend the senior prom at the Gary and Mary West Center in the near future.