Six Centers Rebranded As Activity Centers

Six senior centers across the Upper Cumberland have rebranded themselves as activity centers in an effort to bring in more residents.

Area Agency on Aging and Disability Director Holly Williams said the Algood, Fair Park, Monterey, Van Buren, DeKalb, and Sparta-White County centers have all made the change in recent months. Williams said it will likely take a long time for the centers that underwent the shift to see a serious impact from it.

“Even though technically on paper and by looking at signage, the term ‘senior’ is no longer in some of these centers’ names, that’s just how the community has become to know them,” Williams said. “And it’s going to take years for that terminology to fade away.”

Williams said no other centers have shared plans to move away from the senior moniker, but she hopes the initiative will gain more support over time. Williams said the decision is ultimately left up to each center but her agency will remain available to help those who want to make the change.

“They know what’s best for their local center and what might be received best in their community,” Williams said. “So we’re here to support them. If they want to take those next steps to rebrand, we’re going to provide that technical support to them and walk them through that process.”

Williams said Senior Center Services Coordinator Emily Sells has helped each activity center file state and federal paperwork and acquire new signage needed to properly rebrand themselves. Williams said she hopes the effort will attract people who feel that senior centers are not targeted towards them, as all the centers make up a strong network across the Upper Cumberland.

“They do a great job at encouraging their participants to not just attend their center but to go to other centers,” Williams said. “Because they’re limited in space and activities and so what someone might experience at once center can be entirely different from what they would experience at another. So just really broadening those opportunities.”

Williams said the Area Agency on Aging and Disability also wants to support the centers by helping them integrate new activities and find other ways to increase attendance.