Last Thursday, I got to attend the Cumberland Senior Center’s first ever Seniors Got Talent Competition. I was there to cheer on my mom as she danced in TWO numbers! Other performers included the hilarious emcees, amazing singers, a couple of very funny comedians, and a spectacular belly dancer. The place was packed and everyone was having a great time.
My mom is one of the many reasons that I care about how our community plans for the future of everyone, from our youngest residents to our oldest.
She has always been a very active person. However, after she retired, there was a time when she wasn’t sure what to do next. Who can blame her, after spending decades in the corporate world, part of it raising a child and running here there and everywhere? She had been so busy for so long that she barely knew what to do with an excess of free time.
Eventually, she realized that she lived within 5 miles of two senior centers, one in Lincoln and one in Cumberland. She signed up for both and was off making new friends, having new adventures, and learning everything from watercolor painting to how to play pickleball. She doesn’t stick with every new activity. None of us do. However having a variety of options to stay healthy and connected are making this era the best of her life.
My interest in the joy and camaraderie fostered by the Cumberland Senior Center isn’t only about my mom. She is my inspiration, but the importance of healthy aging affects all of us.
As we age, we often need more help from friends, family, and our communities. Much of this help comes from adult children, who are often raising their own children. When the larger community can offer support that helps people age in place, like that offered by our senior centers, it benefits everyone.
By investing in our Seniors, we invest in our own future and continue to strengthen the foundation of our community. If elected in November, I will work to ensure that we continue the great work already being done for Seniors in Cumberland.
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