A Place to Dance
Special | 2m 30sVideo has Closed Captions
Senior centers can be a place of refuge, healing and joy for older adults.
Senior centers come in all shapes and sizes, offering everything from nutritious meals to educational seminars and group activities. Perhaps their greatest asset, however, is simply providing the space for people to find friendship and community. Maria James came to St. Clair Senior Center in Murfreesboro after suffering a personal loss. What she found was a second family and the will to dance!
Aging Matters is a local public television program presented by WNPT
A Place to Dance
Special | 2m 30sVideo has Closed Captions
Senior centers come in all shapes and sizes, offering everything from nutritious meals to educational seminars and group activities. Perhaps their greatest asset, however, is simply providing the space for people to find friendship and community. Maria James came to St. Clair Senior Center in Murfreesboro after suffering a personal loss. What she found was a second family and the will to dance!
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship- How's everybody today?
The best thing about being here is being with people, the best, and I really mean that.
I don't say that because it sounds good.
Sometimes I believe that there are more things can happen by isolation than if you come to the senior center and share a smile because you see, we become used to not getting out.
The first day we might sit and the next day it becomes easier and easier.
And then all at once, life begins to stop.
- I've worked here at St. Clair Senior Center for almost 11 years now, and especially through COVID, we saw what isolation can do to a person, not just physically, but emotionally and mentally.
And so that's why we feel it's really important to get the word out to let people know about senior centers because it can be a real life changer.
- Hi there.
- [Receptionist] Hi Maria.
- How you doing?
- [Receptionist] I'm doing well.
How about you?
- When my husband died, I came to the center.
I have to talk about the center because I found myself with nobody.
You know, I had children, yes I did, but your mate means a great deal.
So for a year I thought I was gonna die.
And then I walked through these doors, and that was for me the best thing that I could have ever done.
I came to a dance, and I'm a dancer, so I've been dancing ever since, and it's been more than 10 years ago.
I want you to understand that don't give up doing what you like to do.
This center has everything that you could want.
If you do some, if you play cards, they play cards.
If you play pool, they play pool.
And I don't do any of those things, but I exercise, I'm an exercise and dancing fool.
(laughs) (gentle music)
Aging Matters is a local public television program presented by WNPT