Center built for Active Boomers, Seniors
By HOLLY WISE Murray Ledger & Times Newspaper
The Murray-Calloway County Senior Center began preparing their facility for the baby boomer generation long before Gov. Ernie Fletcher initiated the Kentucky Elder Readiness Initiative (KERI) in 2005. A lot of the foresight goes to Center Director Eric Kelleher.
When the initial Weaks Center burned almost seven years ago, Kelleher participated in the architectural design and furnishing of the new building, which would again house numerous community agencies including the Senior Center.
Despite the loss of the old building, Kelleher said he saw the project as a good opportunity to design the new building with baby boomers in mind. Kelleher said he presented a “wish list” of everything he wanted to include in the new facility and he got just about everything he asked for. “The only thing I asked for and didn’t get,” he chuckled, “was a swimming pool.”
KERI was launched by Gov. Fletcher to raise awareness of the inevitable elder population boom. “Planning is successful only when adequate information is available upon which to make decisions,” Fletcher was quoted as saying. “That's exactly what the Kentucky Elder Readiness Initiative gives community leaders — valuable insight and the unique perspective of people who live in their areas and who plan to grow old there as well.”
Last month, the Purchase Area Agency of Aging heard Mark Birdwhistell, secretary for the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, address the Purchase area’s preparation for the elder population increase. Calloway County has taken a very active role due to the general aging of the region’s population, retirement lures of the lakes area, Murray State University, housing costs, etc., as well as the 1987 Rand-McNally designation of Murray and Calloway County being the prime retirement spot in the U.S.
According to Kelleher, the Murray-Calloway Senior Center has three principles on which it’s focused. The first is nutrition, in which the Center provides one meal a day to seniors who visit the facility and also through Meals on Wheels. Meals on Wheels delivers to 105 residents and there is a waiting list.
The second principle the Senior Center focuses on is socialization. Kelleher said that most people get their socialization from work or school, so when a person retires that they have something to do through the Senior Center.
In the design of the building, Kelleher had glass windows installed in the activity rooms instead of solid walls. “I wanted people to feel like they weren’t isolated,” he explained. “This way, they can feel like they’re still a part of what’s going on.”
Education classes are also utilized. Kelleher said the center offers two or three educational classes a month, such as a senior crime class regarding financial scams was presented by the Calloway County Sheriff’s Office. Computer classes are also taught periodically in the Center’s well-equipped computer lab.
The third and final principle is wellness, which Kelleher said is the Center’s main focus. Some of the things the center offers are exercise classes, dance classes, an exercise room, shuffleboard and a basketball court.
Kelleher said when the building was being built, he asked for a basketball court because a study found that a large majority of baby boomers played basketball in college and that was one thing they wanted in a senior center. “The way of playing may change,” said Kelleher, “but you’d still enjoy 3-on-3 (pick-up ballgames).”
According to Kelleher, the changes to the Center have been well received but he cautioned that they have also been mindful of others they serve.
“You can’t just change all of a sudden and say the baby boomers are coming and forget your World War II vets,” he said. “You have to continue to provide for them while trying to come up with new programs the baby boomers will enjoy.” The center offers bingo once a week and Kelleher said there are about 30 individuals who participate.
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