Welcome to the Orcas Senior Center!
We are not just “Seniors”, just adults who happen to be over 60… We are artists, teachers, therapists, engineers, farmers… We are business owners, philanthropists, contractors, politicians, ship builders, and so much more. We are the wise ones, the ancients, the elders, holding wisdom that can only be achieved with age. We are the ones that made it through.  Many of us are the baby boomers, we have all lived through war and seen the technology age evolve. We have fought for equality and environmental change. We have seen parts of our world grow while others crumble.
Help us build an intergenerational, sustainable community for lifetimes of decades. Help us thrive, not just survive. As one day, part of this “WE” will be YOU.
~ Orcas Senior Center

Granny's Attic Sale - April 28-29th!

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The Senior Center is gearing up for another amazing Granny's Attic Sale on Saturday, April 28th from 10am-3pm, and Sunday, April 29th from 11am-2pm (due to popular demand, we are holding the sale for 2 days this year!). Come explore awesome collections of vintage and mid century collectibles and antiques lining the walls of our Senior Center for this annual fundraiser in support of the Orcas Senior Center Nonprofit 501(c)3. Visit the "high-end" room for the rare and unique finds you have been looking for!

We have a Granny's Attic volunteer committee underway, if you would like to join us, contact Maggie at the Senior Center. Keep a watch out for pre-sale photos on our Website and Facebook as we get close to the sale. Contact the Senior Center to join our mailing list to receive email updates. Mark your calendars for this fun Orcas shopping and social event!

DONATIONS FOR GRANNY'S ATTIC
We are now accepting donations for the sale! Help us fill the Senior Center with kitchen and household items and dishware, antique and mid century furniture, a garden and outdoor furniture section, jewelry of all kinds, art and art prints/posters, collectible toys, vintage garments, and other collectibles. Begin your Spring Cleaning now and support the Senior Center by contributing to this annual event. Please note, we will not be accepting vacuums, books, mattresses, non-flat screen TVs, computer monitors, used clothing, CDs or VHS or Cassettes.

Drop off dates will be every Tuesday and Thursday from 10am-3pm, starting Thursday 3/29 until 4/19, at our staging location off Terrill Beach Road, at 23 Bracken Fern. We appreciate this property donated for use by a kind islander that allows us to keep all Senior Center activities running as usual while our Granny’s Committee works hard to prepare items for the sale! For drop offs, follow the signs from the main road or contact the Senior Center for directions. We will also be holding a pick up day for larger items on Thursday, April 26th where we will come to you! Contact us at 360-376-2677 to schedule and reserve a pick up time. Please note, all donations receive a tax donation slip upon receipt. Thanks to all for your support!
Granny's Attic Flyer 2018
File Size: 330 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Challenge Grant SUCCESS!

Thank you to the 220+ donors for your generous support that helped us reach our 2017 Challenge Grant Goal to implement new initiative in 2018. WE APPRECIATE YOU!!! The Senior Center looks forward to implementing new initiatives with this funding, from new Hearts and Hands programming to turning our lobby into a weekly Coffee Club. Keep a watch out for invites to a donor thank you event at the beginning of 2018. Many thanks to all those that have contributed to the wish list of possibilities; we look forward to turning these into reality!

Your help will expand and revive the much-loved Hearts and Hands program and help the Senior Center become a one stop Orcas information resource, take a larger role in the community, team up with other organizations (like our summertime trips to Orcasong Farm!) and support multi-generational collaborations (such as monthly visits from neighboring schools). Some of you will recognize services as the “village concept.” Yes, we are gathering the building blocks of a village! We could build our own village on our own island for all. Together, we will make the Senior Center the vibrant place it was always meant to be.

Its not too late to make a donation! Every dollar adds value to our efforts, programs, services and offers a helping hand this time of the year.  Donations can be made via the below link. Checks can be made payable to Orcas Senior Center and dropped off at the OSC (62 Henry Rd, Eastsound) or mailed to:
Orcas Senior Center
PO Box 1653
Eastsound, WA 98245

We are immensely grateful for your support. It matters for Orcas.
– Orcas Senior Center Operations Committee

Renew your Membership & Continue Receiving the Newsletter!

December was the last month 2016-2017 Members that haven’t renewed for the 2017-2018 year will receive the newsletter. To renew, complete the membership form and pay online, download and mail, or visit the Senior Center front desk!

DOWNLOAD/PRINT MEMBERSHIP FORM

Connect with us on Facebook, visit the website to sign up for email updates, and come on down to the Orcas Senior Center! Do you have membership questions or ideas on how we can enhance our offerings? We would love to hear your feedback – please reach out to Sara Boyle at the Senior Center to share your thoughts via phone (360-376-7723) or email oisc.cfa@gmail.com

The Survey Results are in!

The Senior Center is now recruiting for Focus Group participants in April - Contact us if you are interested in participating!

Results from “Building a Vital Future” Survey, by Lynnette Wood

Whether you call them senior citizens, “geriactives” or golden agers, the demographic trends are clear. According to State of Washington data, San Juan County already has more than twice the population of individuals age 65 and older as does the state overall, and the average age has been rising steadily for decades. Among the over 50 demographic group, the only sub-group projected to still be growing in size by 2040 are those over the age of 70. Clearly, we are an aging population whose needs are likely to evolve.

The survey “How Do We Build a Vital Future” was intended to gather information about those needs. The survey was conducted by the Orcas Senior Center as part of a larger “Aging on Orcas” assessment, with funding from the Orcas Island Community Foundation. Its focus was to identify and prioritize the unmet needs of those who choose to “age in place” on Orcas Island. The survey was designed to reflect “us, here, now”─an inter-dependent rural community with limited options for external public or private support; a place where community investment is critical to maintaining our way of life. Because the demographic trends we are facing will effect the entire community, not just seniors, the survey was open to everyone.

A total of 272 individuals completed the survey, ranging in age from 27 to 92, with an average age of 69 years. Respondents were asked to rate issues according to their level of concern regarding each issue. The two top-rated concerns among all respondents were reduced ability to do the things they have always done, or used to do; and reduced ability to maintain home and property. Also highly rated were concerns about medical care, options for home health care, deterioration in physical health or in mental health, loss of mobility, and inability to carry out day-to-day activities. It is especially interesting to note that people were almost twice as concerned about housing for others as they were about housing for themselves.

Respondents were also asked to rate how much they valued some possible “solutions.” The highest rated solution in terms of value to respondents overall was to have an assisted living or similar facility on Orcas Island. Interestingly, the younger the group, the more highly they rated this solution. In fact, the older the age group, the more they rated this as having little or no value. This may be because those who actually need to move into an assisted living facility have already done so, leaving the island and leaving their relatively more healthy compatriots behind.

Other highly rated “solutions” were availability of additional home care services or home health providers; assistance in accessing medical care and physicians, specialists, referrals, and/or insurers; and more transportation options.

More people said they thought about someone else aging than they thought about themselves aging. Notably, almost 42% of respondents said they have been, or are currently, a caregiver (either paid or unpaid). It is perhaps not surprising, then, that caregivers would tend to think more about the aging of someone else than about the aging of themselves.

Also interesting was that tied for fifth in terms of value overall was “lectures and other educational opportunities.” This probably reflects the high average level of education of island residents, which is the third highest in the state, and their desire to remain intellectually engaged. While rated highly over all respondents, the rating decreased with age. This reflect the fact that as people age they can find it more difficult to leave their homes, especially in the evenings, to attend a lecture. Thus, attending lectures simply becomes less relevant to them.

Such insights will be explored further as the “Aging on Orcas” assessment continues, with further data analysis and the conduct of focus group discussions and outreach events. Ultimately, the results of the survey along with the results of the discussions will help define options for investment decisions─decisions that can now be justified with hard data. Not only will the survey results help guide investments today, they can also act as a valuable baseline against which to measure progress tomorrow.
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The Orcas Senior Center, the Orcas District of the Senior Services of San Juan County 501(c)3, and United Way of San Juan County support the Hearts and Hands program.Do you know of an Orcas resident that could benefit from companionship or are you interested in becoming a Hearts and Hands volunteer? Visit our Hearts and Hands page to learn more!

Join us for an Alaska Cruise!

CRUISE to Alaska with the Orcas Senior Center in September of 2018!!!  To sign up, call Clarissa at 360-376-7926 and pay a $250 deposit.

Here is the link to the online description and full itinerary: http://www.edelcruises.com/cs/824755
Download a copy of the flyer by selecting the below image:

Our Newsletter:  Orcas Senior Signal

ORCAS SENIOR CENTER

We Would Love to Have You Visit Soon!

Hours

M-F: 9am - 4pm

Telephone

360-376-2677

Email

orcasseniorcenter@gmail.com
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