Senior Citizen Day Care Home

Senior citizens can continue to live in a comfortable world if proper infrastructure is provided for them. Their children are all grown up now, and their duties almost complete, they have the time to do what they please, if their health permits. Sadly they have the limited capacity to do things and they get bored easily. Okay, I agree, they can go for walks, or to religious or social events, or watch TV all day, but still that is not enough. Their family have the life of their own and may not get time to pamper their parents, so its important that there is some day care centre where they can be entertained regularly.

One such seniors day care centre I visited in Frisco, a small town in Dallas. My uncle and aunt, who are in their late 70s, visit this government sponsored centre regularly. A bus transports them to and fro from their house to the centre, picking up more seniors on their way. Frisco Senior Centre is a beautiful place to spend few hours everyday.

This one has an impressive entrance that sets you in the mood.

They have volunteers on regular basis who come to help with different activities. There are regular doctor visits for different problems like ENT, heart specialist, physicians, etc who look after their health problems and advise them on how to keep fit providing free medications.

There are lots of activities happening at this centre. Every month they have birthday celebration where the seniors celebrate their birthday month together. During my stay in Dallas, it was my uncle’s birthday, and I decided to attend the birthday party.

Everybody was asked to bring a dish catering to eight people. There was a great variety of food from every participant. People were called to the dinning area in turns, by calling out the birthday persons first, then smaller groups according to their table numbers. Everything was systematically managed. There was variety entertainment program after lunch. Birthday persons were given a chance to speak about themselves, and this was followed by musical show put up by the senior people at the centre. It was interesting to see all the participants dressed in cowboy style with hats and scarfs and singing the country songs.  The music program was amazing. I was told that they had been practising for this day since a month, sometimes waiting till late evenings. They had formed their own music and singing group and met regularly at the centre.

How can they ever get bored when the centre provides all the comfort? Different room had different activities and people could choose the room according to their interest.

There were cards room with round tables, this also had comfortable sofas for people who sit prefer to relax watching TV.

In the canteen room, one could buy food and drinks at nominal rates

While some people chatted over cup of coffee, there were separate tables for people who preferred to enjoy playing board games with friends.

In one room there were 2 billiard tables..what a wonderful game!

There was table-tennis room

Art and craft room had people who were interested in needle work and other handicraft work. They sat together to create beautiful work that they sold during annual exhibition held at the centre itself. I had the opportunity to visit the exhibition on another day and even bought shawls, and costume jewellery.

In the gym room, besides the equipments there was a large TV too so that they could watch TV while exercising.

Then was was a computer room where you could check your mail or play online.

The library room was really beautiful with comfortable sofa and a soft music in the background.

Every morning, five days a week, uncle and aunt get ready at 9am to wait for the bus to arrive and they are gone for good 4-5hours at the centre, come home after lunch to get their afternoon sleep, go to the park in the evenings and late evenings they sit with their ipads or TV and watch their favourite programs. Outstation trips are also planned regularly, while I was there, uncle spoke about the cruise that the centre was organising at nominal rates of 500 US dollars for one week stay. Uncle was quite excited to take this trip because he is very fond of travelling.

Their time is spend beautifully and family members happy too that their senior members have some diversions away from home……