January 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 55

An architect presented a session
on " Transgenerational Design " at a
local senior center. Louis, a 71-yearold recent retiree, was unable to
attend the session because he was
volunteering at the state Special
Olympics event. He is keenly interested in the session, however, as
he and his wife are building their
dream retirement home. Louis' wife,
who accompanied him out of town,
engages in the presentation at the
senior center via streamed videoconference at their hotel and asks
questions online. The presentation
is posted on the center's website for
all to review. Louis and his wife view
it several times after the actual event
and are able to share design ideas
with their home builder.
A senior center in an urban area
had served older residents for more
than 35 years. When a new senior
center was built in a newer, nearby
neighborhood, staff realized that
many former participants were not
attending because many were in their
90s, had some sensory losses and
were unable to drive. With the help
of a virtual senior center connection, popular programs were shared
and former participants were able to
connect with old friends and make
new ones. A centenarian who had
been a member of the senior center
for 35 years was able to join her " Sittercise Class, " a chair exercise program, from her home along with her
76-year-old daughter.
According to NCOA, even though
participation in senior centers is well
documented to have positive effects
on older adults, there are multiple
reasons why older adults do not engage. Reinventing senior centers and
offering their programs and services
in a virtual manner may be a way to
engage this growing segment of the
population in community parks and
recreation centers.

New Technologies
In a February 2015 blog on ValueEd,
the author Athena Kennedy, Ph.D.,
shares about the array of tools for
online and distance learning (http://
tinyurl.com/znyr8qu). In the future,
new digital technologies, such as selfpaced learning modules, simulations
and video tutorials along with new
partners, such as insurance companies, healthcare providers, social media and digital retailers, will allow
virtual senior centers to expand. New
software, like Google Hangouts, will
increase opportunities for senior center participants to interact by sharing
computer screens, browsing webpages and viewing YouTube videos, all
while recording the session for those
who were unable to join the group in
real time. Additional innovative programs, such as Goggle Glass wearable technology, will allow users to
share their experiences, from firsthand perspectives, with others.
There are promises and problems
with virtual senior centers. Potential
problems may involve quality in-

struction suitable for virtual instead
of face-to-face learning, known and
hidden costs associated with technology hardware and software, misuse
of technology and attitudes of senior
center administrators, funders and
participants. However, the promises
of virtual senior centers seem to outweigh the problems. The growing,
diverse population of older adults
will demand flexibility, and new technologies will make programming for
older adults, both near and far, more
connected, engaged, exciting and
fun. As senior centers are reinvented
for the soon to be 77 million older
adults, the designing of comprehensive virtual models will need to be
flexible in meeting their needs and
interests.
M. Jean Keller is a Professor of Kinesiology,
Health Promotion and Recreation at the
University of North Texas (jean.keller@unt.
edu). Franziska Sprinkmeyer is a graduate
student in the Department of Kinesiology,
Health Promotion and Recreation at the
University of North Texas (franziska.
sprinkmeyer@unt.edu).

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January 2016 - Parks & Recreation

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