Senior Services Commission reports rising membership, healthy-aging outreach and transportation survey

Manchester Senior Services Commission met Jan. 21, 2025, approved the Dec. minutes and heard staff reports showing growing participation at the senior center, expanded healthy-aging outreach and progress on a transportation survey intended to inform an age-friendly action plan.

The session focused on program and membership growth at the senior center. Emily (senior center staff) reported that the center's new Lunch & Learn series with Saco Bay Physical Therapy drew about 35 attendees and that staff had to turn people away at the door. A Tai Chi Kwan balance program established a 10-person enrollment limit and opened with eight participants. The center's hot-dog day drew "over 50" members, and a semiannual all-day games event is planned for February with a Valentine's theme.

Emily also reviewed membership-retention data dating to 2015. She reported the center currently has about 399 members and that 57 people who joined in 2015 remain active. Staff said 2024 produced roughly 10,000 more sign-ins than 2023, a figure driven in part by members attending multiple activities in a single day.

Volunteers and a volunteer-development grant were another topic. Staff said the center has about 20 volunteers, roughly a dozen considered regular; volunteers staff reception, call bingo, teach classes, run the kitchen and provide tech help. Emily and Amy met with a consultant on the New Hampshire volunteer grant this month and expect another assessment meeting; the consultant work is intended to expand recruitment and training.

The commission heard detailed figures about the healthy-aging specialist position. Emily said Karen Suckus, the city's healthy-aging specialist (a city employee created in 2023), handled referrals and outreach throughout 2024. Emily reported Karen received referrals from multiple community partners and performed a total of 102 home visits in 2024; Emily added that many referrals came from emergency responders and hospital emergency departments and that Karen conducts full initial assessments and follow-up support.

On finance, Elaine (finance staff) said the commission is halfway through fiscal 2025 and is tracking close to plan overall, but utility bills (electricity) are high and the center expects to exhaust its electricity line if trends continue. Elaine said about $5,000 from a bequest/trust was used for building security and safety upgrades (invoice pending) and that the center's investment balance was reported as $65,069 (as reported at the meeting). The commission was told the mayor has requested three budget scenarios for FY26 (level-funded, a specified reduction and a 2% reduction); those scenarios will factor a citywide compensation-study proposal and ongoing union negotiations.

Transportation and the age-friendly action plan were covered together. Staff reported more than 250 survey respondents for a senior-transportation study; the proportion of respondents who said they had never used the bus declined from around 90% earlier in the process to the high 50s percent. The commission plans focus groups and outreach with the Manchester Transit Authority (MTA) and other community providers; staff said the survey remains open through the end of January and that some focus groups are scheduled for February and early March to produce recommendations before the mayor's May luncheon.

Staff also briefed the commission on a consultant-backed age-friendly action plan funded by grant money. The consultant's scope is to collect updated data, run a survey and key-stakeholder interviews, and draft priorities aligned with the plan's pillars; staff said the work is funded by grant and is expected to be delivered by June 30, with an advisory committee of residents, businesses, partner agencies and city departments helping to shape priorities.

Before adjourning, the commission set its next meeting for Feb. 18 at 9 a.m. A motion to adjourn was made and seconded; the commission voted in favor and adjourned.

The meeting included questions about parking constraints at the center, the need for additional staffing if healthy-aging referrals continue to increase, and the possibility of using community health workers to support or supplement the healthy-aging specialist role. Commissioners discussed the importance of SMART goals for the age-friendly plan and of selecting advisory-committee members who can commit to implementation.