The Campbell County Senior Center offers a place away from home for the county’s seniors.
The center offers every senior citizen the opportunity to use the 24 pieces of exercise equipment daily, attend scheduled activities, participate in health and total wellness programs and receive individualized training if necessary.
The center also holds bingo, card games, corn hole, chair volleyball, a book club, movie of the month and holiday-themed parties. It has a library, a garden, computers, a dining room with lunch served daily, a pool table and a poker table.
As of June 14, the center had 1,476 active members and 455 inactive members. Membership at the senior center is open to people 60 and older. There is no membership fee; however, some classes have a charge attached.
“We try to incorporate a lot of fun for our folks,” Campbell County Senior Center Manager Marsha Dufeck said during last week’s Campbell County Fiscal Court meeting. “Many of them live alone; they don’t have contact with anybody other than us and the people that visit the center. There have been several times when I’ve been talking to one of the commissioners about something, and I get choked up because it’s a passion. When you know that one of your members is struggling and hurting, it’s difficult, and we try our best to help them.”
Dufeck said people stop in all the time to inquire about their offerings and services. She said she tracks those numbers.
“So, between when the fiscal year started on July 1, 2023, and May 31, we had 140 people that came in,” Dufeck said. “That’s about an average of 12 people a month. That’s pretty good because when they come in, we take them on a tour and explain things to them. It’s time-consuming but well worth it.”
Other activities offered at the center include:
- Wii bowling
- Line dancing
- Yoga and chair yoga
- Tia chi for beginners and advanced
- Belly dancing
Dufeck said they are constantly asking members what additional activities they would like to see at the center.
“We put a survey out and asked what activities would you like to see,” Dufeck said. “Well, it was belly dancing, ballroom dancing and pole dancing. So, we thought, ‘hmm,’ and found a belly dancer and thought that was probably the best to do.”
The center does not offer physical therapy services, but it is partnered with H2 Health in Alexandria, which provides sports massages to members quarterly. It also has a wellness clinic that does blood pressure checks, sugar, heart rate and medicine reviews.
Dufeck said they are frequently asked for their wish list and have, in the past, shot low with items like a microwave, but this time around, she said they shot big. The center received a grant from the Kentucky Department of Aging and Independent Living to purchase a Korebalance Balance Machine, which cost $21,000. The machine is designed to help people improve their balance and reaction time.
“This machine is amazing,” Campbell County Wellness Center Specialist Jessica Shields said during the meeting. “It is designed to help people improve their balance, so it tests their balance and gives you your fall risk for your age. Then it designs games for you to play, and after about six to eight weeks, you can retest and see how your balance improves.”
They are partnering with Northern Kentucky University to study how much their participants’ balance improves with using the machine.
Shields said they hope to get the pilot program up and running in August.
The center has three tablets for use. Two are in the wellness room, where people can watch movies and play games while they exercise, and one is on the social side. In addition to the three at the center, tablets are available to rent and take home. An instructional class on how to use the tablets is offered.
Seniors can also participate in the senior farmer’s market program. Members must qualify to receive their $50 for the year to spend at any senior farmer’s market in the state. There are currently 15 people in the program and a waiting list of people should they receive more funding.
The senior center is also involved in the Campbell County Senior Picnic, now in its 57th year. This year’s picnic, which is themed Pirates of Pendery Park, will be held on Sept. 25 in Pendery Park.
Other things upcoming in 2024:
- Health rhythms drumming class
- Four Square
- Purchasing a stackable washer and dryer
- TANK curb-to-curb service
“I appreciate your work down there,” Campbell County Commissioner Geoff Besecker said. “I know, like you said, Marsha, and you believe Jessica, it’s a labor of love. Folks that are in those senior years, those golden years, are certainly special folks, and they really love the relationship they build down there.”
The Campbell County Senior Center is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is located at 3504 Alexandria Pike in Highland Heights.
To learn more about the senior center, click here.