Email a Friend
Print
Larger
Smaller
MUNCIE, Ind. - The topic of aging gracefully and having an active, long life may not top the list for Monday morning conversation-starters, but one Muncie organization thinks about it every day.
The Community Center for Vital Aging, 520 E. Main St., gears its health-oriented programs toward people age 50 and over with a mission to promote the overall wellness of community members in Muncie and Delaware County.
"It's a bridge between Ball State and the community," said David Gobble, director of the Fisher Institute for Wellness and Gerontology at Ball State University.
About four years ago administrators in Ball State's gerontology department developed the idea of collaborating with existing organizations to develop a site for use by people age 50 years and older, Gobble said. After several meetings with faculty, senior citizens-based organizations and focus groups, CCVA was formed.
"John Fisher, the former president of Ball Corporation, is a benefactor to the wellness center and those funds, combined with Ball Brothers Foundation funding, allowed CCVA to become one of the first tenants in the old Masonic building," Gobble said. "We felt the parking was good there, and it's accessible to everyone."
The community center, now entering its third year, offers a variety of programs to senior citizens and has classrooms and labs for students who are studying gerontology.
"This is a natural place to hold classes," Gobble said. "We have a lot of visitors who come to the classes, so when we discuss seniors' issues, they talk to the students about their experiences, and the students get a lot out of it."
Students staff the center, develop ideas for the programs, and assist in marketing efforts.
"Retired faculty teach classes and attend health-related sessions," Gobble said. "There are wonderful art exhibits, cultural programs and computer classes."
Kathy Segrist, associate director of CCVA and the university's gerontology program director, manages CCVA and oversees its operational plan. Segrist is assisted by an advisory board comprising community leaders, people who use the services, and neighbors of the center.
"We focus on community members aging well," she said.
In the future Segrist plans to expand programs, offer more programs offsite, and have more intergenerational programs such as seasonal parties. Gobble said they'd like to do more community-based research and publish the findings nationally.
The center is an official site for the National Center for Creative Aging due to programs that help develop creativity.
Stacy Hull, marketing director, believes that CCVA will continue to grow as the population ages.
"We'd like to see more Ball State faculty participating in the classes we offer, and there are also opportunities to teach," said Hull. "People gain a sense of connectedness with others here."
The public is invited to an open house from 5 to 7 p.m., May 20 at CCVA. For more information, call (765) 285-4541.
(NOTE TO EDITORS: For more information, contact David Gobble at (765) 285-8158. For more stories, visit the Ball State University News Center at www.bsu.edu/news on the World Wide Web.)
The Community Center for Vital Aging, 520 E. Main St., gears its health-oriented programs toward people age 50 and over with a mission to promote the overall wellness of community members in Muncie and Delaware County.
"It's a bridge between Ball State and the community," said David Gobble, director of the Fisher Institute for Wellness and Gerontology at Ball State University.
About four years ago administrators in Ball State's gerontology department developed the idea of collaborating with existing organizations to develop a site for use by people age 50 years and older, Gobble said. After several meetings with faculty, senior citizens-based organizations and focus groups, CCVA was formed.
"John Fisher, the former president of Ball Corporation, is a benefactor to the wellness center and those funds, combined with Ball Brothers Foundation funding, allowed CCVA to become one of the first tenants in the old Masonic building," Gobble said. "We felt the parking was good there, and it's accessible to everyone."
The community center, now entering its third year, offers a variety of programs to senior citizens and has classrooms and labs for students who are studying gerontology.
"This is a natural place to hold classes," Gobble said. "We have a lot of visitors who come to the classes, so when we discuss seniors' issues, they talk to the students about their experiences, and the students get a lot out of it."
Students staff the center, develop ideas for the programs, and assist in marketing efforts.
"Retired faculty teach classes and attend health-related sessions," Gobble said. "There are wonderful art exhibits, cultural programs and computer classes."
Kathy Segrist, associate director of CCVA and the university's gerontology program director, manages CCVA and oversees its operational plan. Segrist is assisted by an advisory board comprising community leaders, people who use the services, and neighbors of the center.
"We focus on community members aging well," she said.
In the future Segrist plans to expand programs, offer more programs offsite, and have more intergenerational programs such as seasonal parties. Gobble said they'd like to do more community-based research and publish the findings nationally.
The center is an official site for the National Center for Creative Aging due to programs that help develop creativity.
Stacy Hull, marketing director, believes that CCVA will continue to grow as the population ages.
"We'd like to see more Ball State faculty participating in the classes we offer, and there are also opportunities to teach," said Hull. "People gain a sense of connectedness with others here."
The public is invited to an open house from 5 to 7 p.m., May 20 at CCVA. For more information, call (765) 285-4541.
(NOTE TO EDITORS: For more information, contact David Gobble at (765) 285-8158. For more stories, visit the Ball State University News Center at www.bsu.edu/news on the World Wide Web.)
