Staying Active for a Lifetime

Please note: The five Community Wellness Service Centers featured here are not currently in operation due to COVID-19. Read on for the excellent programming supported by the Detroit Area Agency on Aging that will return. Visit detroitseniorsolution.org for the latest.

NSO – Northwest Wellness Center is a home away from home for Carolyn Welch. After her retirement, a friend recommended a popular exercise class there – just four miles from her home. After one class, she never looked back. Over the last two years, Welch shed 30 pounds through exercise, a healthier diet and a series of workshops to help manage her chronic conditions, including arthritis and hypertension. 

These health and wellness programs are unique to five Community Wellness Service Centers supported by the Detroit Area Agency on Aging (DAAA). NSO – Northwest Wellness Center is one of them, located at Northwest Activities Center. Welch’s involvement has had a major impact on her overall quality of life and well-being. “As long as I’m alive, I want to be as healthy and active as I can be,” Welch says. 

To achieve that goal, she rises every weekday morning at 7:30 to participate in classes at two different locations. This wasn’t always the case, though. In fact, prior to retirement, Welch’s career in nursing led to a position in health administration, which resulted in her spending more time off her feet. Anyone with a desk job knows how hard it can be to get in those extra steps each day. For Welch, a sedentary lifestyle led to weight gain and a heart attack. 

Welch’s involvement with the DAAA has led to her healthy, connected life – one she didn’t imagine 20 years ago – a life filled with everything from social events, to travel, to continuing education. “There’s no reason to stay home bored,” she explains. “The wellness centers have so many programs – there’s something for everyone.”

Welch has also made time to volunteer with the Detroit Area Agency on Aging. She is now a trainer for Creating Confident Caregivers, a popular class for family caregivers. In addition, she is a program leader for Walk with Ease, designed for people living with arthritis. Welch’s transformation is a testament to DAAA’s commitment to the people it serves. It is also an inspiration to peers who see her in action and say, “Hey, I should do that!” 

Promoting Health & Wellness

Some 150,000 people age 60 and over live in Detroit and eight adjoining communities served by the DAAA. Whether seniors are active or frail, the agency is a one-stop resource for the information and services they need related to nutrition, care management, benefits counseling and more. Whether you are looking for more physical activity, support as a caregiver, find volunteer opportunities, the DAAA can help.

The five Community Wellness Service Centers provide their own mix of activities, in addition to health and wellness programming. The common goal of each center is to help individuals reduce isolation, increase physical fitness and improve overall health.

A note from Ronald S. Taylor, CEO of the DAAA

An active lifestyle is the key to a longer, healthier life. However, for caregivers and older adults, it isn’t always easy to find the time or the resources needed to focus on one’s health and wellness.

Our five Community Wellness Service Centers help ensure that adults age 60 and over – with different ability levels – are able to participate in programs and services to promote healthy aging. A lack of information, limited access to health care and unhealthy lifestyles can take their toll and lead to multiple chronic conditions, which can shorten lives. This is not the future we want for our community.

Through our network of wellness centers, free preventive measures can foster healthier lifestyles and prolong life. Individuals can empower themselves and look forward to better health. And all of us can look forward to a better quality of life. It starts with one call to us at 313-446-4444. The Detroit Area Agency on Aging is your Senior Solution!

Community Wellness Resource Centers

NSO – Northwest Wellness Center
18100 Meyers Road, Detroit, MI 48235
313-397-8227

People’s Community Services Adult Day and Wellness Center
8625 Joseph Campau St., Hamtramck, MI 48212
313-875-1750

LA SED Senior Wellness Center
7150 W. Vernor Highway, Detroit, MI 48209
313-841-8840

St. Patrick Senior Center
58 Parsons St., Detroit, MI 48201
313-833-7080

The Helm at the Boll Life Center
158 Ridge Road, Grosse Pointe Farms, MI 48236
313-882-9600

The Detroit Area Agency on Aging is a non-profit organization that serves older people, adults with disabilities and people caring for loved ones residing in Detroit, the five Grosse Pointes, Hamtramck, Harper Woods and Highland Park. For more information, visit detroitseniorsolution.org.