Sharon is a regular attendee at the Center for Seniors in Neosho, which provides activities, hot lunches and more for older adults in Newton County. It’s a hub of resources and, for Sharon, hope.
Access to nutritious and healthy food changes lives.
Kaela Anderson, Regional Lead and Administrator at Ozark County Senior Center, received an email a few years ago introducing her to a gentleman on hospice that had been approved for home delivered meals. He was on oxygen 24/7, and had decreased mobility that prevented him from walking even short distances without having to stop. In addition, he wasn’t getting proper nutrition, which left him underweight.
“Seniors are my favorite. They have so much wisdom and good advice.” That’s coming from Joy Pace, SeniorAge center lead at the West Plains Senior Center. “They’ve lived their life and they deserve the respect. They deserve to be taken care of, but sometimes they get forgotten.”
For Chris McCune, working with seniors is a mission much more than it is a job. She’s the regional services director for Care Connection for Aging Services, the umbrella agency that operates the Rivers Crossing Life Center in Osceola. Chris began her career in senior services at the Rivers Crossing Life Center, and her powerful stories remind us why senior centers like these are so impactful.