As senior centers evolve to continue to improve the lives of older adults, especially those who are struggling, NCOA is striving to understand what kinds of support senior centers need.

As part of that work, a recent scan of senior center adminstrators and community stakeholders from across the country revealed some important findings on the challenges facing centers today. And the study also pinpointed some successes in the scan of a variety of senior centers, from those serving fewer than 100 older adults to those serving more than 1,000.

Some main themes that emerged:

• Senior center participation: Who do we serve?
• Marketing and outreach
• Trends in staffing and leadership
• Funding challenges
• Generating and sustaining mutually beneficial partnerships
• Impact of COVID-19
• Impact of technology
• Role of NCOA's National Institute of Senior Centers (NISC)

Study participants underscored the need for educating not just older adults themselves but funders and community members about the role of senior centers. As one senior cener administrator said,

We are out there in the community—letting people and organizations know what we do. I have to network constantly. People need to know we exist!”

And those who had never set foot in a senior center highlighted a lack of understanding when it comes to the range of services, supports, and activitiies senior centers have to offer. One study participant commented,

I am almost 60 but I don’t see myself going to a senior center.. . . I don’t play Bingo. . . .what is there for me?”

The results, detailed below, also gave a look into what's next for NISC and the NCOA's Modernizing Senior Centers Resource Center (MSCRC). Some of those future steps include:

• Collecting more robust information about he senior center network, including an accurate count, types of models, structure and data points about services, activities, engagement and impact
• Establishing modern indicators of successful senior centers that can be standardized; core expectations that can provide a framework for operations and development and create pathways and support for senior centers to pursue adoption of standards
• Providing technical assistance and support around emerging issues, particularly technology for senior centers
• Continuing to build collaboration and partnerships to complement the work of NISC and MSCRC, including the U.S. Administration for Community Living's Technical Reource Centers

Check out the full report for insights into the history of the nation's senior centers, how generational differences have changed senior center offerings, thoughts on what a modern senior center looks like, and more.