The Importance of Senior Centers

Senior Centers are a focal point for community engagement among senior citizens. They go above and beyond acting as gathering places for older folks; they hold important programs that make a tangible improvement in their quality of life. Rowan County has a lot to celebrate with the creation of our first ever dedicated Senior Center building, which will offer essential services to seniors: providing them a place to gather, promoting health and nutrition, offering information for independent living, and delivering social outreach services.

Senior Centers are a central location connecting the individuals who utilize it to vital community services that can help them stay healthy and independent. Older adults who participate in senior center programs experience better psychological well-being across several measures compared to non-participants. Seventy-five percent of participants visit their center 1 to 3 times per week and spend an average of 3.3 hours per visit. Our new dedicated senior center, in the heart of Rowan County on 740 Clearfield Street in Morehead, will span nearly 6,000 square feet. It will meet all Americans with Disabilities Act and Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards.

Serving this vulnerable population is vital to the well-being of our community. We want to acknowledge and appreciate the hardworking individuals who worked tirelessly to make this project a reality. We’re truly grateful for the state’s support in this much-needed development.

The Governor has also presented $946,000 from the from the Community Development Block Grant program to renovate and expand the Menifee County Senior Center Kitchen. The Governor joined state and local officials to cut the ribbon on the Menifee County Senior Center's Regional Kitchen expansion. This expansion will add over 1,000 square feet to the building. It will allow for new freezers and a larger meal prep area. A generator will be installed to keep food cold and fresh during power outages. The regional kitchen has been a vital resource for seniors in the area. During the pandemic, the kitchen’s capacity was pushed to its limit, highlighting much needed improvements. At the conclusion of the event, the Governor, along with state and local leaders, cut the ribbon on the renovated Menifee County Senior Center Kitchen.