The Pennsylvania Department of Aging released results of a national partnership to increase awareness of and participation in Pennsylvania’s more than 400 Senior Community Centers (SCCs).
Pennsylvania Department of Aging Secretary Jason Kavulich hosted a Community
Conversation centered on how the Commonwealth is working to reshape the way
Pennsylvanians think and talk about SCCs. The conversation highlighted lessons learned
throughout the project and discussed next steps for implementation.
“Senior community centers have a huge role to play in the future of aging in Pennsylvania,
which is why we forged a national partnership to explore how we can best support them,”
said Secretary Kavulich. “Senior community centers are vibrant social hubs where active
older adults find what we all need at every age – friendship, activities, support and a sense
of belonging.”
The project produced recommendations and practical “how-to” guidance for applying these approaches in senior centers across Pennsylvania. Strategies for helping people understand SCCs differently include:
• Moving away from assumptions and creating understanding: “Senior community
centers are community spaces—similar to libraries or parks—that help people stay
active, engaged, and connected as they age.”
• Moving away from who goes to senior centers to why communities need them: “Real
connection depends on whether communities create spaces, activities, and
transportation that make participation possible.”
As a result of this work, two new resources are now available to SCCs and the public:
the Strategies Report: Senior Community Center Framing Recommendations Report , and
the Quick Start Guide: Reframing Senior Community Centers Quick Start Guide.
Joining Secretary Kavulich on the panel were Patricia D’Antonio, Executive Director of the
National Center to Reframe Aging; Renee Cunningham, President of the Pennsylvania
Association of Senior Centers; and Jeff Miller, a member of the project’s advisory council.
Panelists reflected on the work completed through the initiative and shared their vision for
advancing these efforts statewide.
Conducted in partnership with the National Center to Reframe Aging, the “Reframing
Communications About Senior Community Centers in Pennsylvania” initiative focused on
developing new communications strategies to help older adults and entire communities
view senior community centers – and aging itself – in a positive, future-focused way.
“This investment from the Pennsylvania Department of Aging is kickstarting a national
conversation, providing communication strategies for senior community centers, and
setting an example for other states in highlighting their importance and value,” D’Antonio
said. “Our recommendations can help organizations and policymakers increase
awareness, reduce stigma, expand participation, and strengthen public support for senior
community centers.”
SCCs provide regular opportunities for connection, activity, and access to resources that
are key to healthy aging. Research from the project notes the importance of differentiating
SCCs from institutional care settings such as nursing homes or assisted living facilities,
and instead recognizing and promoting them as neighborhood resources that older adults
can use to stay active and independent.
“At Centro Hispano’s Casa de la Amistad Senior Center, we see every day the richness of
Pennsylvania’s aging population: seniors who bring different cultures, languages,
traditions, and life experiences, into one welcoming shared space. Reframing senior
centers means recognizing that they help our older Pennsylvanians stay healthy, engaged,
and empowered,” said Michael Toledo, President & CEO of Centro Hispano Daniel Torres
Inc. and reframing project advisory council member.
The project was completed in three phases and included participation from Area Agencies
on Aging, the Pennsylvania Association of Senior Centers, SCC directors and staff, and
older adults across Pennsylvania. The project began with a statewide assessment to better
understand the current landscape of perceptions and usage of SCCs. PDA previously
released information about Phase One here.
Building on those findings, the project team conducted stakeholder interviews and focus
groups to test new messaging approaches and identify communication strategies that
resonate more effectively with older adults and the broader public. Working closely with an
advisory council composed of professionals and older adults, the project developed
practical tools and action steps to help SCCs implement new communication strategies
and strengthen community engagement.
