They crochet and they drum and they exercise most days, and on others they enjoy speakers and local leaders that offer the history and current status of the Friendly City.
And that’s just what Family Service – Ohio Valley offers at its Senior Center in Center Wheeling. The facility is at 2200 Main Street in the same structure that once housed a Goodwill retail operation before it closed in 2017, and since chief operating officer Paula Calvert has guided extensive renovation projects so Family Service can operate the local “Meals on Wheels” program in Ohio and Marshall counties, as well as several other support services available at the Senior Center.
One of those activities is a cardio drumming class led by Douglas White, an assistant professor of physical therapy at Wheeling University.
“The drumming class is part of a partnership we have with Wheeling University’s physical therapy program, and it’s a great way for our seniors to have fun while increasing their movement,” Calvert explained. “For the students, it’s a great way to have hands-on experience with working with seniors, and that offers them a chance to better understanding the aging process and what limitations that come with the classes.
“We do as much as possible for our seniors to keep their bodies moving and their hearts pumping,” she said. “We have one diabetic who has told us her lab numbers have improved thanks to the program, and a couple of others have told us that they are now on less medication than they were before. Plus, it’s great for socialization because too often at this time of year, people tend to get shut in and not have much interaction.”
That’s why there’s a different activity offered each weekday at the Senior Center.
“It’s very important to all of us here to take the best care possible of our seniors since we are the designated senior center in Ohio County. Every county in West Virginia has one and we’re very proud to welcome our seniors on a daily basis,” Calvert said. “On top of cardio drumming, a veterans luncheon the second Tuesday of each month, we have crochet classes, and the ladies made a lot of gifts for their families. They also play games some days and we have seated exercise classes for them, too.
“We have speakers who come in for seminars and lunches, and we have local leaders come in and discuss what’s going on around the city of Wheeling and Ohio County,” she explained. “And when it’s an election year, they love to talk politics with each other and with some of the speakers we have. So, we keep them moving, and we keep them thinking.”
Snow Nor Rain Nor Heat Nor Gloom
It’s like clockwork, and it’s very much on purpose because it’s the only way Family Service’s “Meals on Wheels” program can deliver more than 200 meals in Ohio and Marshall counties each and every day.
Calvert may be the organization’s long-time CEO, but she gives all credit to the non-profit’s director of nutrition, Andy Wesolowski.
“Andy does a wonderful job every single day because he realizes how important the program is to every single senior our staff visits each day,” she insisted. “That’s another vital link we have with our seniors because, on some days, our folks may be the only person our clients see and talk to all day.
“Our clients all love the fact that it’s not the same meal every single day,” Calvert said. “We change it up, and we also make some changes according to the season of the year.
Those door knocks, though, are about much more than the food.
“It’s another well-check for our seniors and another reason for them to interact with other people during their day because that’s how people stay sharp,” Calvert explained. “It’s when they sit alone with the TV on when their senses begin to dull and that’s not a healthy way to live.
“Plus, our people can help with some non-medical things inside their homes, too,” she said. “The program is invaluable to our clients, and our staff knows our clients, and they take care of them in a lot of different ways.”
The City of Wheeling, Calvert believes, adds to the quality of life enjoyed by local senior citizens, and the publicly funded activities allow for even more interaction.
“Our seniors make friends with each other, and several of them like to go out into the community to do other activities. I know some of them have gone to dinners together, and to see some of the live music at our parks and at Heritage Port,” she said. “If someone stops to think about it, the City of Wheeling really does provide a lot for our seniors and for everyone else.
“What we have built here at the Senior Center is a community, and we’re always making efforts to reach as many of our seniors in Ohio County as possible so they know what we offer and what we’re doing here at the Senior Center,” she said. “Some of our places in the county have a lot of their own activities, but we still get some of those folks to come here, too.”
Another amenity offered to local senior citizens involves the “Point A to Point B” puzzle, and that’s the extensive transportation service Family Service operates in and around the Wheeling area.
“We provide transportation in Ohio County and in parts of Marshall County, too,” Calvert said. “We do take our riders to (WVU Medicine) Reynolds in Glen Dale, and we get our veterans over to their appointments at the St. Clairsville Clinic. All someone has to do is communicate with us about where they need to go and when, and we’re always doing everything possible to get them where they need to be.
“We understand that pretty often transportation is a big challenge for our seniors and that’s why we try to do as much as we possibly can for them. Plus, our vehicles are equipped to take care of our people who need that accessibility,” she added. “A lot of times, transportation is the vital link to the outside world, and to allowing someone to remain independent, and that’s so important to our friends here at Family Service.”
(Cover Photo Caption: Judy Brensinger is one of several seniors who frequent the Senior Center at Family Service-Ohio Valley in Center Wheeling.)
