Senior centers
McAuley Center, 5010 Arkansas Highway 7 north, and Hot Springs Senior Center, which is temporarily closed and will relocate soon (new location to be announced), are operated by CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs and primarily funded through the Area Agency on Aging of West Central Arkansas. The McAuley center is open from
8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, serving area seniors aged 60 and older. No membership dues or fees are required for services, it does fund raise and any and all donations are appreciated. Visitors and guest under 60 are welcome.
A nutritious, well-balanced lunch is served from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. No reservation is required. A suggested donation of $3.50 is requested to help cover the member’s share of the meal cost at each center. Those under 60 are required to pay
$6 for each meal. All carryout meals, regardless of age, are $6.
Each center offers a lending library, pool tables, pingpong, games area, weekly exercise and wellness programs, socialization, recreation, health screenings and educational presentations. There are intergenerational activities with children from area schools, local Head Start programs and the Cedar Mountain Boys & Girls Club.
The Oaklawn Center on Aging, a program of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, Arkansas Aging Initiative, is in partnership with both centers. Oaklawn Center on Aging provides center members and the community with health information resources and educational programs, including weekly tai chi, Zumba Gold and evidenced-based Healthy Aging education programs. Oaklawn Center on Aging is fully funded by the Oaklawn Foundation. For information, call Kathy Packard, director of education, at 623-0020 or email kapackard@uams.edu.
Unique to the communities they serve and reflecting the interests of their membership, each center schedules special activities. Hot Springs Senior Center boasts tai chi; Strong Men & Strong Women strength training classes; line dance; tap dance; creative arts classes; evidence-based wellness programs; special holiday events and entertainment; Finders Keepers Thrift Shop; bean bag baseball; healthy eating and nutrition; leadership/volunteer opportunities and monthly blood pressure and blood sugar checks and monthly birthday celebrations sponsored by Walgreens on Malvern, West Shores Retirement Center and area nursing and rehabilitation facilities.
McAuley Center activities include line dancing, yoga, intergenerational O.W.L. program, Strong Men & Strong Women strength training classes, tai chi, Zumba Gold, everyday exercise, rubber stamping, rug hooking and crochet, thrift shop, various painting and craft classes, lunch entertainment, AARP Driver Safety classes, AARP tax aid during tax season, and continuing education classes through National Park College.
For information on times, activities and events at each center, call Hot Springs Senior Center, 624-0838, Judy Rowe, email Jrowe@stvincenthealth.com; or McAuley Center, 984-5594, Kelli Chacon, email Kchacon@stvincenthealth.com.