Bingo Competes With Tai Chi as Senior Centers Change With Times

U.S. senior centers' mission has changed to the point that many organizations have been rebranded as communities for active adults, reports TribLIVE.com . "Traditionally, people came to a center primarily for a meal, but we're not seeing that so much any more these days," notes Bridget Schickel with the Westmoreland County Area Agency on Aging in Pennsylvania. Meals remain a primary service provided by the centers, along with activities such as bingo, parties, and bus trips, but services also are expanding into broader areas of both physical and mental fitness. Schickel says these changes reflect longer life expectancy and people staying healthy, active, and engaged in society at older ages. These are being fueled by what residents want and by what federal regulations permit or require. "They're looking for mental and physical stimulation and a place to meet people," says Mary Corsi with the McKenna Center for Active Adults in Greensburg, Pa. "So we're not a senior center, we're a gathering place."