Fostering Connections: The Role of Senior Centers in the Lives of Older African American Adults

• In Event: 30860 - Section on Aging and the Life Course Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (90 minute): Table 4. Social Networks, Isolation, and Aging

Abstract

Active aging centers/senior centers (Centers) are important neighborhood institutions for many older adults aging in place. The vast majority of research on Centers has focused on the utilization of services (e.g. meal and wellness programs) and the effectiveness of these services to improve health outcomes and increase aging in place. However, the social connections that individuals make within Centers and the potential impact that these connections have on health and other related outcomes are often overlooked, particularly for marginalized older adults. The purpose of this study was to examine the role that community Centers play in fostering social connections between older African American adults aging in Cleveland, OH. Data is from over 6 years of ethnographic observations within a Center in an urban neighborhood in Cleveland, OH. All of the older adults attending the Center and the majority of staff at the Center were African American. Inductive thematic analysis revealed four themes related to social connections and meaning:1) marshaling social supports, 2) gaining purpose, 3) shared meanings, and 4) discussion of late life stressors (e.g. social losses). The observations and narratives indicate that neighborhood Centers offer a useful space for older adults to relate to and connect with one another. Such social connections may help to buffer the unique stressors faced by marginalized older adults (e.g. poverty, health issues, access to food). Moreover, recent data suggests that prior to covid and following covid, many Centers are closing due to financial strains and low participation by neighborhood residents. This research sheds light on the importance of such spaces for older adults and calls attentions to losses that communities face if Centers continue to close.

Author

• Kaitlyn Barnes Langendoerfer, Wilkes University