Written by National Council on Aging

You might think you’re never going to fall, but the truth is 1 in 4 older adults fall every year in the U.S. The good news is that most falls are preventable. Start by learning 6 easy steps.

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Written by Akila Gibbs, November 2016

Byron, at 104 years old, came to the Senior Center for his daily fix—working on a puzzle. Six days a week, he arrived at his usual spot. At the beginning, he worked on his puzzle alone, with Center members sometimes stopping to say hello and chat about this or that. In the last few years Marilyn, another Senior Center member, joined him and she would work on his puzzle too. The two of them would sit together, heads bowed over the puzzle table, stopping only at lunchtime for a bite to eat. After lunch, he’d go home. Byron recently passed away,

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Written by Akila Gibbs, August 2017

I’m not much of a gambler, but I like the saying about making the most of the hand you’re dealt in life. The truth is, there are no guarantees, and no promises of a tomorrow. We all need to make the most of today. Whether we have been dealing with a debilitating illness for many years, or we get sudden bad news, we need strength for this life.

I was reminded of this recently,

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Written by AKila Gibbs, May 2018

A few months ago, I did something I never thought I’d do: I boarded a plane for South Korea to watch my daughter, Lauren, win a silver medal in the bobsled competition of the Winter Olympics.

Every single word in that sentence is surprising and amazing to me, so I will go in order:

1. I’m scared of flying, and boarding a plane for that long was never going to be something I chose to do. But, when your youngest child is competing in THE OLYMPICS, you go. I did a lot of deep breathing. The experience of flying for close to 14 hours wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be.

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Written by Akila Gibbs January 2018

The New Year begins and I find myself thinking about how lucky our Center is to have strong community support. Whether in our growing membership and volunteer rosters or in reaching ambitious fundraising goals, our neighborhood responds in a big way.

The Center recently held its annual “Zest” gala, which raises money for the Center to continue and expand its service offerings. Non-profit organizations, like the Center, operate differently than a business in that any surplus revenue is put back into our budget rather than distributing it as income to shareholders.

What this means is that donors, whether they give $3 or $1,000, can rest assured that the money they give to the Center directly translates into supporting the programs that bring more than 10,000 seniors annually through our doors.

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Written by Akila Gibbs, November 2015

• I have been thanked more this year than all my years combined (meaning, not just since I joined the Senior Center, but the years I’ve been alive!). I want to share with you a few thoughts expressed by our members; though their thanks came to me, the gratitude belongs to all of us—the Center’s dedicated staff, volunteers, donors and board members.
  
  
  

Written by Akila Gibbs, April 2015

In 1957, Pasadena’s city leaders hopped on a national bandwagon to take better care of seniors. They wanted to provide seniors a place for social interaction, and opened the Pasadena Senior Center in May 1960. The Junior League, a fantastic women’s organization that was heavily involved in civic projects (and still is today), adopted the Center as its pet project, provided volunteers to staff the facility, and raised

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Written by Akila Gibbs, August 2015

We are celebrating our 55th year and are planning all kinds of ways to mark this momentous occasion! This year we honor our founders, the Junior League of Pasadena, at a special ceremony in the fall but before we do, we’re throwing a party and inviting everyone to come. Come to the Party! happens on Saturday, August 15.

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Written by Akila Gibbs, October 2014

What are you grateful for?

While you think about that, I can tell you my answer: my work and the people at the Pasadena Senior Center.

No other job has given me more than I can give back in return. No other job has made me take stock of my life. And that’s because I enjoy the wisdom,

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Written by Akila Gibbs, October 2017

second act n. Something people devote their lives to later in life, after retiring or quitting their original occupation.



The thing about second acts is, you may not see them coming,

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