Service Learning Project
                                                                Chassie Turnbow
                                                    Middle Tennessee State University

Senior Centers offer activities and services for senior citizens. The eligible aggregate group is persons sixty years and older. They support interdependence and encourage community involvement. They also offer a variety of basic support services to the members. The centers offer exercise programs, recreational activities, health education, support groups, computer classes and a multitude of activities. The activities are directed to improve coordination, mental abilities, social skills and their overall quality of life. The center may serve as the only social interaction some senior citizens have in a day’s time. They also provide home visits to those seniors who cannot attend the center.
I attended the Shelbyville Senior Center for my service-learning project. I was able to assist the senior center in a variety of activities. The center opened at eight o’clock and the seniors were there when the doors opened. The center offered classes such as quilting, knitting, pottery, aerobics, painting and computer classes. I attended the quilting class but I did not quilt anything. The center also offers weekly blood pressure screenings. I assisted in taking blood pressures. The Wal-Mart distribution center located in Shelbyville gives the center foods that are about to go out of date. The seniors can each pick out four items. I did not attend the day of distribution but I thought that this was very generous. Lunch was served from a central kitchen located in Fayetteville. The central kitchen delivers food to many different locations in the area. There was also extra food delivered to the center for the meals on wheels program. Seniors who were home bound were either visited or called on the phone on a regular basis.
My experience at the senior center was very interesting. I had never really thought about what types of activities they would offer. I assumed they sat around and played bingo. I did not realize that senior centers offered such a variety of services. I now understand the importance of senior centers to the senior population in communities.