Helping to improve the lives of seniors

Q & A with Chase Gipson, Director of the Fayetteville Senior Activity and Wellness Center

Tell us briefly about your job.

“I coordinate and oversee all the services and activities that we provide for seniors in the Fayetteville Community.”

Tell us about The Fayetteville Senior Activity and Wellness Center and its mission.

“We are a part of the Area Agency on Aging of Northwest Arkansas whose mission is to commit financial and human resources to enhance the lives of the Northwest Arkansas senior and elderly community.”

Scope of services?

“We operate Meals on Wheels for Fayetteville and also provide four different taxi services for seniors in Fayetteville, to go along with all the Fayetteville Senior Center activities. The center offers over 20 weekly wellness classes, Bingo, Hot Lunches, Line Dancing, Pool Tournaments, Ping-Pong, water colors classes, Canasta, Dominoes, and many other activities.”

Average number of people served annually?

“We track our services in what we call units of service. Providing lunch in the center or through Meals on Wheels is one unit of service, providing a round trip taxi ride is a unit of service, providing a wellness class is a unit of service, etc. In 2022, we will provide just under 100,000 units of service to seniors in our area.”

What makes your organization’s mission unique?

“We provide all types of services for seniors, so we are a bit of a ‘one stop shop’ for those 60 and over. Need lunch, need a ride, want to go on a trip, want to exercise, want to play cards, pool, or ping pong? We’ve got you covered! In addition we have a thriving volunteer base that also consists primarily of seniors. Also, the daily interaction of seniors from all walks of life and all socio-economic groups is a unique environment that doesn’t exist in many places in today’s society.”

Your personal connection to the mission?

“I have served as the Director for five years, and it has been an incredible experience as I’ve gotten to know and hopefully help in some small way the seniors in our community.”

What part of your job is the most satisfying?

“The conversations and interactions that I get to have with seniors on a daily basis. They have a lot to share and those of us in the younger generations have a lot to learn from them. In a world of short attention spans, cell phones, and social media, the art of conversation is alive and well every day in our center.”

What challenges does your organization face?

“Like most non-profits are main challenge is fundraising to ensure that we are able to continue to provide our services to those who need them. We do not charge for any of our services, so we rely completely on donations from our clients, as well as individuals and businesses in the community. Our second biggest challenge is getting the word out to all of NWA that we are a vibrant active community for seniors.”

Why is socialization and exercise important for seniors?

“These are every bit as important as food and nutrition for seniors. There is a significant body of studies over the last 20 years that illustrate this fact. It is also easily observable in our own community. As human beings, we were made to move and we were made to interact with each other, and this doesn’t change just because you are over 60.”

How did the Senior Center fare during the recent pandemic?

“We remained open in terms of the staff coming to work every day, even though our doors were closed to the public. We continued to provide Meals on Wheels and Taxi for essential services throughout COVID-19. Many of our seniors did not fare as well, as they were forced into isolation which had catastrophic consequences on their mental and physical health.”

What are you most grateful for right now?

“I’m so thankful for the opportunity to interact with seniors every day. I’m blessed to be able to help provide services that improve the lives of seniors. It is incredibly rewarding to assist those who have given so much to our society over the last 80 years, and their lives and their stories are quite inspirational.”