The Swampscott Council on Aging presented to the Select Board on Wednesday the need for more space and staffing at the Senior Center.
During the high school planning process, officials proposed sharing space with the Senior Center to help advance the project. Initial plans included shared use of the cafeteria, dance studio, and weight room, according to Aging Services Director Heidi Whear.
The Senior Center regularly adapts its space to meet a wide range of needs. The dining room also serves as an exercise or conference space. Activities include creative writing, yoga, chair pilates, knitting, cribbage, art club, bingo, and mahjong.
“We’re stretched,” said Whear. “We don’t have enough space.”
In April, the Senior Center started to use the Clarke School as a satellite location due to the increased demand. On Tuesday mornings, the Senior Center offers chair volleyball. There is also work to create a Maker’s Shed in the space.
“The issue though is that if we start doing something down at Clarke, we’re taking staffing away that we are already stretched with,” Whear said.
Member Suchan Sivam noted that staffing has grown by just 3% despite triple-digit increases in membership, attendance, transportation and meal needs.
Over the last four years, the center has grown:
- 126% in membership
- 138% in daily attendance
- 293% outreach contacts
- 240% meals served
- 141% transportation rides
- 278% volunteer hours
“The growth is broad,” said Sivam. “It’s across the board…It’s systematic. It’s structural. We need to prepare ourselves.”
In the short-term, Whear suggested taking the two part-time staffing positions at the Senior Center and creating one full-time employee position in addition to adding more hours to the transportation coordinator’s position.
Select Board Chair Katie Phelan noted how “this is not a big ask” and it could be beneficial to see if there are outside partners who could sponsor the financial barriers for the upcoming fiscal year.
The group discussed, after questions from the Select Board, about the “huge opportunity” there is to collaborate with other towns to share resources. Everyone seemed open to look into the possibility, to “facilitate some of the things we aren’t able to provide, more wholesomely to the Swampscott resident,” as Phelan said.
The Select Board asked for the Swampscott Council on Aging to return with a ranking of their needs with statistics that support them.
The Swampscott Council on Aging’s presentation was concurrent with the Swampscott’s Community Life Center Feasibility Study Task Force survey, seeking public opinion and gauging interest in a potential new life center for all ages.
The group is exploring reasons why a potential life center could be needed, such as to provide the Recreation Department with appropriate space and facilities, expand the Senior Center to accommodate a wider audience and establish a space where residents could meet and interact.
