Vibrantly aging with Donna Smallwood Activities Center

Pop into the Donna Smallwood Activities Center in Parma on any given day and you’ll find a vibrant hum of activity, from painting and dancing to cardio drumming, community meals, creative workshops and educational lectures. Nearly 2,000 members get a sense of curiosity, connection and belonging here—and that’s the goal.

“We provide an uplifting safe space where seniors can thrive,” says Erin Lally, who is director of the center. “There’s something for everyone because we want our members to feel seen and engaged.”

Nurturing a Variety of Interests

Each day’s activities center around wellness, education and enrichment. Erin credits partnerships with others in the community for creating a breadth of programs. For instance, University Hospitals Parma Medical Center provides health screenings and lectures. Having the YMCA within the building and the Cuyahoga County Library next door opens a world of resources.

“We address every niche our members may be interested in, such as a knitting/crocheting, singing, dancing, veterans and quilting clubs,” says Erin. “For history lovers, we’ve partnered with the Baldwin Wallace Institute for Learning in Retirement to offer lectures on topics ranging from art history to the assassination of JFK. Upcoming programs include “Steeped in Tea” and “The 60s.”

To help members and their families reconnect with their pasts, she says they run a program of shared stories on their YouTube channel @parmaseniorconnection where they interview members about their lives.

There’s also a social worker on staff to help members with things like making Medicare decisions or grief counseling. 

Hitting the Road

A spirit of wonder extends beyond the walls of the center, too.

“People love hopping on our 12-passenger buses to take trips to destinations within an hour’s drive,” she says. “Our popular ‘Love your Lunch’ series takes foodies to stops like Das Schnitzel Haus, Merwin’s Wharf and the new Flamingo Pub at Ridgewood Golf Course. Mystery trips add a sense of adventure. For $20, members sign up without knowing the destination. We’ve toured WKYC studios and met Leon Bibb, ventured to the Museum of Illusions downtown and attended the Cleveland Ballet.”

Social opportunities abound. Erin reports they just hosted a prom at Normandy High School, where older adults dressed to the nines and enjoyed music and fine fare catered by the school’s culinary students. On a monthly basis, the center hosts dances with live bands or DJs, with fun themes like sock hops, where members dress up in their favorite 1950s-inspired outfits.

Beyond the fun and discovery, the center also provides vital transportation to and from the center, for doctor appointments and grocery shopping. 

Caring for the Home Bound

Equally meaningful are services they provide for those who cannot come to the center. 

“Our meal delivery drivers get to know each person, providing daily social interaction for those who might not be receiving that attention,” she adds. “During severe weather last winter, when we knew we might not be able to get there, we put together care packages filled with shelf-stable meals, homemade treats and handwritten notes, small gestures that were appreciated.”

Funding the Fun

The plethora of programming is funded, in part, by the center’s nonprofit, the Parma Commission on Aging, which was founded in 1984 and is currently run by board president Julia Varley.

She explains they rely on grants as well as donations and fundraising efforts such as the annual rummage sale. Funds from the event will go toward a much-needed renovation to make the restrooms ADA compliant.

“I love what we do here,” says Julia, who at 82 still feels the passion that comes with a job you believe in. “We get to see people come back to life and look forward to their days again.”

In a time of life that’s often framed in terms of decline, the Donna Smallwood Activities Center is a breath of fresh air. Members find their later years don’t have to be about slowing down but staying engaged and living their fullest lives.

Membership to the Donna Smallwood Activities Center is $10 per year. 

Donna Smallwood Activities Center

7010 Powers Boulevard, Parma

440-885-8800

CityOfParma-Oh.gov

Donna Smallwood Activities Center