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Politics & Government

Senior Center to Receive County Funding

On Tuesday the Board of Supervisors voted to pass $100,000 in funding for the newly opened senior center over the next two years.

After recently opening nearly a year past schedule due to budget woes, the Senior Community Center has secured additional funding for its operations from Alameda County.

On Tuesday the Board of Supervisors voted to award $50,000 each for two years to the center, which after it completed construction last summer.

Joann Oliver, San Leandro's recreation and human services manager, said the money has to be used for health and wellness programs. But until city staff meet with the county, Oliver said they don't know the exact  terms of the contract.

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"I'm hopeful the money can be used to supplement existing programming," she said, since the city already provides a number of health and wellness services for seniors.

But either way, Oliver said, the city is "thrilled" to receive the money and "can really put it to great use."

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Most of the classes and programs for seniors that were held at the have now been transferred to the senior center.

The city broke ground on the project in 2006, after the idea for a senior center was identified in a 2002 Senior Needs Assessment Report prepared by the Alameda County Area Agency on Aging and Senior Services.

The 21,000-square foot structure cost $11 million to construct.

The building will also serve as the city's emergency operations center in the event of a large-scale disaster such as an earthquake.

Health services provided to seniors at the center, list courtesy of Joann Oliver: 

  • Services: Blood pressure checks, bone density scanning, diabetes support group, by-appointment wellness assistance, health insurance assistance, Spectrum hot lunch program, Merce Brown Bag program (nutritional food donated twice monthly to eligible candidates) and a series of educational presentations on important issues to seniors.
  • Exercise classes: Arthritis Foundation exercise program and t'ai chi, t'ai chi chuan, t'ai chi chih, fall-prevention exercise and balance, laughter yoga, Pull Up a Chair exercise class, cardio fitness and wellness, Back in Shape exercise class and cardio kickboxing.
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