The Future of Senior Community Centers: A Statewide Effort to Re-frame Aging

Across Pennsylvania, senior community centers are re-imagining what it means to age well. The Pennsylvania Department of Aging, in partnership with the National Center to Reframe Aging, has launched a three-phase statewide initiative to reshape how communities understand and value senior community centers. The goal is simple but urgent: to help every older Pennsylvanian see these centers as vibrant, welcoming places to connect, learn, and thrive, not as outdated institutions.

Phase 1 of the project revealed what many of us at Montco SAAC already know. Senior community centers play an essential role in community life, offering social connection, engaging activities, and nutritious meals that sustain both health and belonging. Yet fewer than 2 percent of older Pennsylvanians currently participate in their local centers. The reasons are complex, including stigma around aging, lack of awareness, and the misconception that centers are “just for old people.”

The state’s effort now turns toward reframing that story. Future phases will develop communication strategies, visual tools, and statewide messaging to better reflect what senior community centers have become: active, intergenerational, and vital to the health of local communities.

At Montco SAAC, this work is already underway. We are modernizing how we talk about aging, expanding programs beyond our walls, and investing in major building improvements to meet the needs of the future. From accessibility upgrades to new fitness, art, and gathering spaces, our facilities are evolving alongside our mission, ensuring that every person who walks through our doors finds a place that reflects today’s aging community: active, creative, and connected.

The future of senior community centers is not about getting older. It is about living fully, together. I encourage you to stop by and visit us and see the vibrant community that is Montco SAAC.