A senior perspective

People ask me why I wanted to be a senior center director. I had choices and thought about working with kids; however, once I examined the issues senior centers within the U.S. were experiencing, I decided the role as the Blaine Senior Center executive director was right for me.

I knew there would be a challenge, but I also knew there was a need within the community. Simply put, the senior population was rapidly growing and had never been as diversified as it was evolving to be. Senior centers were struggling, and change was needed.

I also, for some of my claims, want to share that most senior centers accept members at the age of 50 and this was taken into consideration and was used in my fact finding for the job.

Here is my senior perspective on why active centers for aging are so important:

First, every study I read stated that seniors were rapidly outpacing children within the U.S. and I believe these trends are seen in Blaine. Our community also has a high percentage of seniors, compared to other areas of Whatcom County. Secondly, not only was the senior population growing (thank you baby boomers!), but people were living longer. The U.S. Census shows that one in five Americans will be at least 65 years old by 2030, and 10 percent of the U.S. population will be 90 and over by 2050.

Additionally, and this is one that everyone, including our local, state and federal governments, need to understand: When our population gets older, it becomes imperative to keep our older generations physically and emotionally healthy. Why? The U.S. Census shows there is a potential for our U.S. public health, social services and health care systems to become overburdened like never before (financially and supportively). Studies show that by keeping seniors self-reliant and in their homes, it helps to keep them out of the system and helps them live longer. This puts focus on services, like senior centers, to keep our older generations active. It also puts focus on the funds necessary to do so.

My final learned perspective was this: We have the most diverse older generations ever. The Blaine Senior Center offers services to over 50 years of members (age 50 to 100-plus) and this population includes four generations: The “Greatest Generation” (born before 1928), the Interwar/Silent Generation (1929-1945), baby boomers (1946-1964), Generation X (1965-1980) and within seven years, millennials (Generation Y). This means that we have to appeal to multiple generations with everything from classes, programs, events, resources and even food. To put this into perspective, imagine a school system that had to focus on 50 years of generational differences. My youngest members at the center are closer in age to a high school senior than they are to my older members.

These perspectives were all reasons I decided to help seniors. I also realize there is a need for advocacy for our aging population in Blaine, Washington state and nationally. Our Blaine center is growing and has made great strides in becoming a true “center for active living,” but we have a long way to go. Ageism, the act of denying an older person human rights, solely based on their age, is a thing. And some of the ageism comes from our older population. Embracing our age and celebrating it is key.

It is why we also implemented our number one rule at the center: Kindness. For me, understanding our older generations have a great number of wants and needs is imperative. For our older generations (age 50 and above), embracing emotional and physical health, education, community and more is conscious aging.

The Blaine Senior Center is dedicated to growing and becoming the best center we can be. Your help and input is greatly appreciated as we embark on a new generation of aging and living as our best selves. Whether you are 50 or 100, this is how we embrace our aging population and show others and ourselves how much we can contribute to our community and today’s society.

Pete Nelson is executive director of the Blaine Senior Center.