Before it was the Durham Center for Senior Life (DCSL), the nonprofit was known as the Golden Age Society. Founded in 1949, the Golden Age Society focused on social gatherings as they coordinated neighborhood social clubs for Durham’s elderly residents. Today, the DCSL offers various services aimed at advancing the well-being of adults 55 and older living in Durham and is located in downtown Durham with two satellite locations, one in the JFK Memorial Towers in Durham and the other in the Little River Community Complex in Bahama, NC.

Programs

The DCSL provides six main programs: information and assistance; congregate meal; classes; caregiver support; adult day care health; and pantry services:

• Information and assistance: This is one of DSCL’s most popular services as it connects people with resources and needed services, such accessing the in-house food pantry or personal hygiene items. When they can’t satisfy a certain request, they refer clients to local community partners such as the Department of Social Services or Meals on Wheels.
• Congregate Meal: Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the congregate meal program provided an opportunity for seniors to socialize and have a meal together. Since the pandemic began, the social aspect had to be removed, but the DSCL now provides five frozen meals each Monday and Tuesday to more than 240 seniors in need of food at all three locations. Transportation is provided to and from each location for those needing it to pick up their meals each week.
• Virtual Classes: When classes needed to shift between in person to virtual, DCSL found there was a mix of seniors who were already online and those who needed computer connections. DCSL worked successfully to walk through the Zoom, WebEx, and Facebook technology for those who didn’t have access or previous experience. The seniors also helped each other hone their computer skills. As a result, DCSL has provided several successful virtual classes, such as “Powerful Tools for Caregivers” and “Diabetes Self-Management,” with many more to come.
• Family Caregiver Support Program: DCSL’s family caregiver support program assists Durham County caregivers by providing information and referrals, resources, education and respite services. These services have proven effective for caregivers as the program continues to grow. DCSL is also collaborating with other local and state wide caregiver support group options and respite service vouchers for eligible caregivers.
• Adult Day Health: This program supports caregivers of loved ones with a day health experience from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. The program supports participants with mentally and physically stimulating activities, socialization, and nutritious meals daily. Since the advent of the pandemic, the program has transformed into a “center without walls.” We are now providing virtual caregiver programming, daily wellness calls, telephonic support for caregivers in addition to providing necessary resources for successful caregiving during these tough times.
• Pantry Services: In collaboration with the local food bank and the Diaper Bank of North Carolina, DCSL provides seniors in need with shelf-stable groceries and personal hygiene supplies on a monthly basis. Their “kitchen-less bags” include items for clients who do not have a kitchen or access to a kitchen. These bags include shelf-stable and easily microwaved food. Some of their healthy options include apple sauce, cheese, crackers, and tuna. Based on client feedback, DCSL makes adjustments on to what to include in the bags. Last month, DCSL held a drive to collect everyday essentials and received a lot of donations for their hygiene pantry, which provides supplies such as toilet paper, toothbrushes and toothpaste.

Community Partnerships, History

“I love collaborating with a lot of people. You can do a lot more together than separate,” said Michael Patterson, the Adult Day Health director. “We’re always looking for ways to collaborate and make a positive impact in the community.”

Dementia Inclusive Durham, another previously spotlighted D-CHIPP partner, recently received a grant to increase knowledge about people living with dementia and how to socialize with them. DCSL is the fiduciary agent for the grant and is working in partnership with Dementia Inclusive Durham, DUSON, and Durham Veterans Affairs to implement the grant activities. The grant will provide the Durham community and organizations education on caregivers and those living with dementia. The education will include recommendations on how to interact with and support persons with dementia, as some with the disease hide it well or are in early stages. Grant-funded events are being planned for caregivers to learn more about resources and other supports to help them and their loved ones with dementia feel more connected. Caregivers will learn how to engage their loved ones with dementia through imagination and the current environment with a meaningful and creative engagement method created by the TimeSlips, Training on the TimeSlips method will be conducted virtually, and caregivers can receive respite vouchers for an in-home aide while the caregiver participates.

In addition to once being known as the Golden Age Society, DCSL underwent another branding change with the name the Coordinated Council for Senior Citizens. In 2007, DCSL’s flagship location was created downtown. Though different organizations would be housed in the building, the Coordinated Council for Senior Citizens adopted the name of the building, which is now called the Durham Center for Senior Life.

“I don’t want the center to be the best kept secret in Durham,” Patterson said. “I want people to know about the services, use the services, and share the great things happening at the center.”

For more information on DCSL, visit its website or Facebook page.