Senior Center Programs

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The Donna Smallwood Senior Center continues to grow and provide more programs than ever before. Our average daily attendance is over 100 and that breaks even pre-pandemic records. Of course this is due, in large part, to the YMCA Silver Sneakers classes offered here daily.

Our Center is focused on programming for seniors with a myriad of community partners who keep things fresh and interesting. Last month both our Parma Police and Fire Departments provided us with valuable safety information. In June, we hosted Tri-C Encore 55 classes here. Dedicated Medical Center hosted a free pizza party and provided our August ceramic painting craft. UHPMC provides free blood pressure checks monthly. We have informative medical programs, most recently  about chiropractic care and skin cancer. Another partner, Brookview Health, had a health trivia game program with prizes.  

Our own members are also stepping up to provide new programming. Roger Davis, a U.S. veteran shared his extensive coin collection and military memorabilia with us and will be doing another program about his trip to Alaska this summer. New member Diana Parsons is providing free genealogy research to anyone who wants to see what country their forefathers hail from and she can often provide a ship’s manifest from their original journey. Sharing her gift and passion for research, Diana has been able to connect our seniors to their families in ways that have been both profound and beautiful. Even I learned that my maternal great-grandparents were born in Austria, which I had not known before.

This summer, we had bus trips every Friday to different “Best of Parma” locations and our seniors thoroughly enjoyed visiting favorite places and those we have never been before. We look forward to doing something similar next summer. In the meantime, we are scheduling other local trips through the Center. This month we are returning to the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and visiting Amish country in Hartville, Ohio.

September programs include a Balance & Stability class, a new monthly program with Nature Pam about our national parks, and our 57th Anniversary Dance with honored guests and music by Wayne Tomsic. We are hosting a “Get Ready for Medicare Enrollment” informational program with our Human Service Specialist Kathryn Davison.  Our partner Vista Springs will be providing a “How to Beat Diabetes” program as well.

The week of September 19-23 is our first-ever PARMA LIVING WEEK hosted by our partner Heather Lopez of My New Villa who will be conducting group tours of senior living communities. We’ll be visiting Home Instead, Vista Springs, Pleasantview/Legacy Place, and Arden Courts, and more. We hope to be able to continue these types of senior living tours throughout 2023.

Friday, September 23rd is our Picnic in the Park at James Day Park, sponsored by Cox Communications and Drug Mart, which will include entertainment by Girls with Squirrels, a food truck, and sweet treat dessert.

All activities can be found in our newsletter available at the Center and on the city website under departments and Senior Center. Annual membership to the Center is only $10 and any of our staff are here to help you sign up for programs and to welcome you any time you stop in. Hope to see you soon!