A happy place for all: Elderly find community at the Saratoga Senior Center

Photo by Kathy Wang

Seniors sing along for their weekly karaoke activity.

On a visit to the Saratoga Area Senior Center Council (SASCC), you may stumble upon a crowd of elderly people in their 70s and 80s waltzing to vibrant Chinese music. The sun shines in through the curtains and fills the room with warmth and radiance. The karaoke verses flow on a TV screen and content smiles spread across their faces. Other seniors sit at nearby tables, singing and nodding along to the lively music.

The karaoke class is just one of the various activities offered at the SASCC, which was established in 1979.  The SASCC is a branch of the nonprofit Successful Aging Solutions & Community Consulting, formerly known as the Saratoga Area Senior Coordinating Council. Its mission is to provide access to physical and social activities along with resource services that improve the overall quality of life for seniors living in Saratoga. 

The other three branches include the Adult Care Center, which aids less independent seniors with mental or physical health disorders, the Outlook, a local publication, and the Ryde, a transportation program for seniors.

The SASCC is not a residential facility, but rather a recreational center for people over 55. On Tuesdays through Thursdays, members can stop by between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. for a variety activities, including Tai Chi, quilting, ukulele, ping pong, memoir writing and yoga. Each class is either free or offered at low prices of around $5.

“We try to have a balance on physical activity of classes and classes where you can learn things so there are a range of activities,” program specialist Samuel Leale said. “Over time, we develop new activities — like at the end of this month, we’ll have Zumba classes going on.”

Leale, who has a master’s degree in gerontology, a field related to the elderly and aging, has worked at SASCC for six months. He said he finds fulfillment in improving the lives of older adults, especially since he’s able to interact and establish close friendships with them. When looking from a greater perspective, spending time with seniors is “a huge deal” because he can help make the best of the last part of their lives.

“I work here to meet people, learn their stories and think of ways to make life better for them to make it a place they want to come to,” Leale said. “Many older adults are alone or don’t have great support systems, or in general are kind of forgotten. This is a place where they can come and be recognized and acknowledged.”

Similarly, operations manager Raj Kaur, who has been working at SASCC for seven years, likes his job because “not one day is the same.” Kaur has observed that most people tend to stigmatize senior centers because they’re typically portrayed as “a boring, dull place for old people.”

“I mean, these [seniors] can make you sweat in ping pong,” Kaur said. “It’s more fun being here than people realize. There probably aren’t a lot of places where people can really say ‘my job’s different every day.’ Working here is almost like a challenge because I’m like ‘what am I going to deal with today?’ in a good way.”

Ping pong is one of the most well-attended activities at the SASCC, with up to 50 participants. Every Monday, Tuesday and Friday, when ping pong is hosted, volunteers will set up five to six tennis tables for the seniors. They often play for as long as the activity is available, spending almost four hours during the day time.

Another popular activity among the seniors is karaoke, which takes place every Wednesday. Due to the high demand, seniors must sign up on a whiteboard and are allowed to perform up to two songs each turn. 

“For something like karaoke, it doesn’t matter whether it’s young or elderly people,” senior member Belleza Chou said. “As long as you like the music, it’s really great.”

Chou has been a member of the SASCC since 2016. After retirement, she sought something meaningful to dedicate her time towards. After one of her friends donated to the SASCC to open up ping pong as an official event, Chou began playing ping pong at the SASCC — which later spurred her to start volunteering there.

“We love the friendly staff,” Chou said. “It’s a social exercising opportunity, and everybody enjoys it. I would say this is a great place.”

While the SASCC has since developed and increased the variety of activities offered, its core mission of bringing the senior community together remains the same. 

“In this place, it’s people’s lives that you’re experiencing every day, and some people come in and are having a great day and some people are not, but they’re still here,” Leale said. “You still get to live that with them a little bit.”