By Staff
As the new director of Resource Development and Community Relations at the Cass County Council on Aging, I am impressed with the number of individuals who frequent our center in Cassopolis and use our services.
If you haven't visited us for awhile, spring is a wonderful time to reacquaint yourself with the wide variety of services, programs and opportunities offered.
On a typical day, the center begins to hum with activity early in the morning. The fitness rooms are populated with walkers, bikers, and others using all manner of equipment, under the watchful eye of COA trainers and volunteers.
Somewhere in the building, there's always something crafty going on – one day you might find the knitting club making caps for chemotherapy patients. The next day, it's the woodcarvers hunkered down over a variety of elegant and impressive projects. Our once-weekly ceramics class, taught by volunteers, provides a creative outlet for artists of all ages. On Fridays, the COA's own New Frontier Band hones their musical chops, creating collages of melody and percussion.
Adult Day Services provides a safe, stimulating and supportive environment for adults in need of care or supervision during the day. There's plenty going on, with card games, reminiscing and sing-a-longs to 50's rock and roll. One of the ADS's adopted "mascots," a boxer named "Fester," often stops by to lend his approval to a "pet project" and receive a few well-deserved pats on the back – or head.
As morning wears on, a big focus becomes – food! Our volunteer Meals on Wheels drivers load their precious cargo and set forth in all directions, bringing nutrition to homebound neighbors throughout Cass County. As lunchtime arrives, the dining room is filled with the friendly sounds of laughter and fellowship as customers, employees, volunteers, and visitors mingle through lunch.
On Tuesday, the chess club occupies a corner of the adjacent game room, lost in concentration and oblivious to the cacophony around them.
There's also a more serious side to program offerings at the COA. Great Decisions participants meet regularly to ponder some of the weightier issues of the day. A recent seminar on mail fraud attracted an enthusiastic crowd with a variety of questions and concerns. And for the last several weeks, dozens have taken advantage of tax preparation services, offered free of charge, by two of our volunteers.
With the arrival of spring, our Walking Trail has become busier as folks put their best foot forward, and get some fresh air as well.
Although many programs are offered in Cassopolis, the reach of the COA extends throughout the communities that we serve. Our home care aides provide basic daily living assistance care to mature adults in their homes. Medical transportation volunteers drive seniors to medical appointments outside of Cass County.
Our Adult Day Services is offered at a second location at Lincoln Center in Dowagiac, giving our customers yet more options, including onsite fitness and life enrichment classes.
The COA has so much to offer. This short article doesn't begin to reflect the wide variety of opportunities for life enrichment, fitness and community involvement that await.
If you haven't been by for a while, I'd like to invite you to come in for a tour, or simply stop by and have lunch. Although most of our programs are targeted to seniors, many resources are available to all. The more individuals who come through our doors, the better we can achieve our vision of Making longer lives… Better lives.