“WITHOUT WALLS” SENIOR CENTER PROGRAMMING AS A STRATEGY FOR RURAL SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT

Abstract

Limited transit options and long travel distances heighten the risk of isolation of older adults in rural regions. These challenges, as well as limited funding for fixed physical infrastructure and paid program staff in rural areas, necessitate consideration of adaptive, nontraditional, senior center models. This poster examines facilitating factors and challenges in the development of Gateway Seniors Without Walls, an older adult-led virtual senior center operating without a standing facility in a rural US region providing social, and health promotion programming at partnering community sites as well as serving as a connector to formal health, social service, and business resources. In 2015, Gateway partnered to provide approximately 30 activities monthly representing 1,162 hours of programming. In 2013, ten community member focus groups were convened to inform the design of Gateway. Dominant themes included: 1) concerns about transportation as a barrier to accessing senior center programming; 2) a desire for programming that extended beyond entertainment and social activities to include information and resources for healthcare, education on aging, and legal services; and 3) a desire for diverse single session activities to compliment regular programming. Methods for this qualitative study included a review of focus group and meeting notes, and information provided by key informants associated with Gateway. Key challenges identified include: identifying volunteer older adult leadership in formulating programming; collecting participation and demographic data from attendees at diverse sites; and successfully marketing health and wellbeing-focused programs to potential participants. Best practices for program replication in other rural locations will be provided.