While data on transportation accessibility captures how older adults can travel to senior centers, I wanted to understand how older adults are traveling to senior centers. To achieve this, I surveyed senior center staff members from across the state. The survey asked what transportation modes participants use and how common they are; how prevalent driving cessation and loneliness are in staff members’ communities; and what strategies senior centers can implement to overcome barriers and foster social connection. Below is a narrative of the key findings and visualizations of the results.

To better understand barriers to senior center participation and ongoing efforts to address these issues, I surveyed senior center staff members across the state. Potential survey participants were reached out using the DHHS senior center listserv. The survey was open for two weeks and received 68 total responses. 57 responses were kept for analysis, while 11 were dropped for being mostly incomplete.

Responses by DHHS Region

The survey asked staff members which DHHS region their senior center is in. All but two regions received a response. The regions that received the most responses were Region K (10 responses), Region F (7 responses), Region J (6 responses), Region P (5 responses), and Region D (5 responses) (Figure 26).

Given that Regions F and J are home to the state’s two largest metropolitan areas—Charlotte and the Research Triangle—the relatively high number of responses is not surprising. However, Region K leading the response rate was unexpected considering that the region is composed of rural counties with small populations.

Given the broadness of DHHS regions, it is difficult to determine if the survey respondents are representative of the state’s diverse urban and rural landscape. Figure 26 indicates that most of the state appears to be represented, though the absence of Region G is surprising given that it contains the state’s third largest metropolitan area, the Piedmont Triad.

Travel Modes to Senior Centers

Survey participants were asked to check all transportation modes older adults use to travel to their senior center (Figure 27). Nearly all respondents indicated that older adults drive themselves to their center. Over three quarters of respondents selected “driven by a friend of family member” and “carpool with other seniors traveling to center,” suggesting a consistent reliance on personal vehicles to travel to senior centers.

Figure 27. Travel Modes by the Percentage of Respondents that Selected Mode

This question did not account for how frequent certain modes are used relative to others. To address this, the survey asked participants to rank the modes they selected in order of which is used most often by seniors. I then calculated each mode’s average rank, in which higher ranks correspond to more frequently used modes

Figure 28. Average Rank of Travel Modes Used to Travel to Senior Centers

Interestingly, senior center transportation services were ranked as the second most common travel mode after self-driving. This emphasizes the significance of these services for older adults.

Driving Cessation

The survey also asked about cases in which seniors have to stop driving due to age-related declines in health. This is important to understand as the car-dependent built form of North Carolina poses a challenge to older adults who can no longer travel like they used to. These groups are at risk for social isolation and loneliness.

First, I wanted to understand how prevalent cases of driving cessation are across senior centers. The majority of respondents reported that some participants of their senior center do not have a driver’s license or can no longer drive due to age-related declines in health.

Given the prevalence of this issue across responses, I wanted to learn more about how participants in these situations travel to senior centers.

Figure 29. Travel Modes Used by Older Adults Who Cannot Drive

Older adults who are unable to drive themselves tend to rely on personal contracts or senior center transportation services. Figure 29 underscores the importance of senior center transportation services in providing support for older adults who may not have another option. Receiving rides from family, friends, and other seniors traveling to the center are effective methods but rely on the availability and volunteerism of others. Moreover, rural communities may lack transit and ride hail options, and those that exist in urban areas can be unreliable.

Social Isolation and Loneliness Among Older Adults

Next, I asked respondents to rate how significant of an issue social isolation and loneliness are among older adults in their communities on a 5-point Likert scale.

All respondents acknowledged that social isolation and loneliness among older adults is an issue to some degree, with 44% recognizing this as a “significant” or “very significant” issue. Given the importance of this issue across communities, I wanted to learn more about what factors prevent older adults from participating in senior centers.

Barriers to Participating in Senior Centers

Older adults may not be involved in senior centers for a variety of reasons. Figure 30 displays the percentage of respondents that selected each barrier as a reason older adults do not participate in their senior center.

Figure 30. Barriers to Participating in Senior Centers

No barrier to participation was selected significantly more than others (excluding costs of attendance which does not apply to most centers). This suggests that each community may struggle with many different barriers to participation.

Stigma was the most selected response. In the survey, this variable was described as “misconceptions that senior centers are only for ‘frail’ or ‘elderly’ individuals.” Older adults on the younger side (i.e., 55-70 year olds) may feel that attending a senior center is a sign of aging and not for people their age, though many senior centers offer services to adults starting at 50 years old.

Unawareness of senior centers and their programs was tied with living too far away for the second most selected response. These make sense, though the isochrone analysis above suggests that most older adults are within a 15-25 minute drive of a senior center. Still, this travel time may be difficult for seniors who limit their driving, and it does not apply for those who cannot drive.

Interestingly, lack of reliable transportation was tied for the fourth most selected response, though the difference between the top five was small. Over half of respondents selected this as a barrier, reinforcing that more reliable transportation options to senior centers are needed.

Next, I wanted to understand what types of challenges staff members face in providing support to older adults who experience barriers to participation. This includes seniors who cannot participate (e.g., because they are homebound or have mobility challenges) and those who choose not to participate (e.g., because of stigma or unawareness).

Figure 31. Senior Center Staff Challenges in Addressing Barriers to Participation

Once again, no challenge was selected significantly more than others, emphasizing the importance of all challenges. When developing strategies to address barriers to participation in senior centers, all five of these challenges must be considered.

Many respondents provided short answers that further detail challenges associated with loneliness among older adults in their communities. Respondents consistently wrote about seniors lacking reliable transportation, citing rising transit costs that limit service frequency and coverage, a lack of funding for senior center transportation services, challenges and costs associated with living in rural areas, and older adults not having family members nearby or readily available to drive them. One respondent observed that older adults are increasingly living further from family members, though it is unclear if family members are moving away or vice versa.

Many noted that age-related declines in health can pose a barrier to socialization, including memory loss, limited physical mobility, and declines in vision and hearing. Homebound seniors are particularly at risk for loneliness and may not have options to participate in senior centers excluding phone calls, home visits, and virtual programming.

Some respondents reflected on cases in which mental health challenges or the loss of loved ones decreased motivation to attend centers, potentially creating a vicious cycle of loneliness. Social anxiety and a fear of trying new things may also serve as barriers to participation.

Digital illiteracy and a lack of access to technology were also cited as challenges. In rural areas, transportation and internet costs are more expensive. Further, households are spread out and some older adults may not have neighbors to connect with or receive rides from.

Strategies to Address Loneliness Among Older Adults

The last question in the survey asked respondents to write about effective strategies senior centers can implement to reduce loneliness among older adults. Across responses, nine common strategies emerged. The number of times each strategy was mentioned is visualized in Figure 32.

Below are descriptions of each strategy and current efforts or proposed ideas written about by staff members.

Figure 32. Senior Center Strategies to Address Loneliness Among Older Adults

Marketing and outreach 

Across responses, senior center staff members suggested expanding marketing and outreach efforts. This strategy directly addresses the unawareness barrier to participation. Respondents put forth several ideas on how to market their senior center, including Senior Ambassador programs, outreach at churches and community organizations, Bring a Friend programs, word of mouth from current participants, newsletters, peer mentorship, and reaching out to children of older adults to encourage their parents to participate.

Home visits, check-ins, and phone calls

Many staff members emphasized the importance of performing home visits and well-being check-ins on homebound seniors. Phone calls are also used to check in on older adults, including participants who have not shown up in a while.

Special events, including off-site

Hosting special events, including off-site events in the community, may be an effective way to get people involved with the senior center who otherwise may not be interested. Suggestions mentioned in the responses included themed dinners, holiday parties, casual meet-ups, activities and events outside of operating hours, monthly dances, off-site events at community centers, and off-site events at senior housing communities.

Offer or expand transportation services

Transportation was mentioned several times, though the strategies involved differed. One respondent suggested advocating for more senior transit services to local municipalities and the county. Another respondent recommended setting up a Bring a Buddy program in which participants drive others who cannot drive to the senior center. Most of the responses in this category discussed expanding or offering senior center transportation services if none existed already.

Virtual programming and technology classes

Respondents frequently cited virtual programming for seniors who cannot attend in person. It is unclear how these programs function, but having this option allows homebound seniors to engage with others. Respondents also recommended hosting technology classes so older adults can learn how to connect with others using their phones and computers.

Expand programs

In general, respondents advocated for expanding programs at senior centers, especially programming that appeals to the wants and needs of older adults. Some ideas included interest-based clubs, Lunch & Learns, and classes on difficult topics such as how to handle grief. Building on the latter idea, senior centers can offer classes about dealing with loneliness and depression, though referrals to mental health professionals and local resources may be more effective.

Volunteer opportunities

A few respondents suggested that senior centers organize volunteer opportunities in their communities. Volunteering allows older adults to connect with others in the community and strengthen their sense of purpose. One response proposed tutoring children, contributing to charitable projects, and assisting with senior center events as potential ideas.

Intergenerational programming

Getting younger people involved with senior center activities may be beneficial to combating loneliness. A few respondents emphasized the importance of intergenerational programming, including local school visits to the center, youth mentorship programs, and collaborative activities with children. Intergenerational programs can also extend beyond children and include teenagers, young adults, and middle adults.