The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
NEW SENIOR PLACE
The Gorman Senior Place is set to open Wednesday
ONEIDA, N.Y. >> Opening Nov. 6, the Gorman Senior Place will be the first independent senior center in Madison County.
There, seniors can gather, socialize, learn, and just enjoy themselves.
“I like to think of this as a ‘lemons to lemonade’ situation,” said Amanda Larson, president of the Gorman Foundation. “We had BOCES High School equivalency programs, but they had cuts.”
The room the BOCES classes used was left empty this past July, but Larson said the Gorman Foundation was looking to fill it again. “I was heartsick when BOCES had to move out,” Larson said. “I and everyone at the Gorman Foundation want this building to be a community resource. And to have BOCES move out, that’s a loss.”
And from lemons, the Gorman Foundation made lemonade.
“We were inspired to have a place for seniors because we have the lab draw for Oneida
Health right next door,” Larson said. “And a lot of seniors come in the morning to get their labs done. We thought about how it would be great for seniors to have a place for seniors to hang out.”
As the concept started to take shape, the news broke the Hazel Carpenter Home was closing its doors.
The new Senior Place at the Gorman Foundation is completely furnished with couches, chairs, tables, and antiques donated from the Hazel Carpenter Home. Former Hazel Carpenter Home Administrator Betty Lyboult was hired on as the Senior Place’s new administrator.
When the Hazel Carpenter Home closed its doors last year, the board of managers chose to continue on the Home’s mission of helping the senior population and formed the 1886Benevolent Society— with an office located at the Gorman Foundation.
The Gorman Senior Place will be the first independent senior center in Madison County, Larson said.
“There are wonderful senior resources in the community,” she added. “I love the Madison County Office for the Aging, I love Oneida Health, their extended care, and residential area, I love the YMCA’s silver sneakers program and I love the rec center’s programs. But this will be completely independent. You don’t have to be a member. At a bare minimum, it’s a place for seniors to come in and have coffee, donuts, play cards, watch the news, socialize and get information about senior programs in the area. At most, the sky is the limit.”
Larson said she hopes that the programs offered at the Senior Place will be for seniors, run by seniors.
“Betty will be the ultimate guide, but those that want to be a part of this will drive what we deliver,” Larson said. “If people want help with financial matters or just learn to crochet, the sky is the limit. We’re open to every idea. The Gorman Foundation just wants to be a helpful resource. Statistics show that being socially engaged helps with longevity and helps promote a sense of connectedness with the community. And that’s important to a meaningful life.”
Larson added that anything from a book club, to classes on present wrapping, to a coffee house with book readings and poetry is all possible.
“We have chair yoga set up on Mondays for now,” Lyboult said. “And we have a speaker, Julie Harney, from the Office of the Aging to
speak this month on all the services the Office offers.”
Open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., yoga, bingo, coffee and donuts, and a movie are all on the calendar for November.
Larson said she didn’t want to compete with other services in the area and that she wants the Senior Place to just be another opportunity for seniors that want to be active and engaged.
While it’s a stop for the
Madison Transit bus, Larson hopes those without a ride will be able to carpool with other attendees.
“I’m inspired by the fact that my grandmother, who is 103, could always find a ride if it was for bingo, a card game or a free meal,” Larson said. “It’s amazing how that woman could find seniors that were going to that destination. And we’re hoping we can create that network of people who are willing to pick people up.”
Larson added that while she hopes to create a network of people willing to pick people up, the Gorman
Foundation will address the issue in an official capacity if there comes the need.
The Gorman Foundation will be holding an official ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Senior Place at 10 a.m. at its office location at 1081 Northside Shopping Center.
The Senior Place will be free and open to the public. The official ribbon cutting will take place on Wednesday, Nov. 6 at 10 a.m. and is open to the public. Anyone with questions or who wish to volunteer at the Senior Place can contact the Gorman Foundation at 315363-0170.