La Habra staff report growth, new services in senior programs

At a regular meeting of the La Habra Community Services Commission, staff presented an overview of the city’s senior and social services programs, highlighting higher attendance, new partnerships and expanded outreach.

The program overview matters because officials said the expansion reaches hundreds of older residents through free classes, transportation, health screenings and social events that city staff and community partners largely fund or support.

Martha Montoya, senior and social services staff, told commissioners that weekly programming now includes multiple health-and-wellness classes, tai chi, table tennis, bingo, movies and a weekly senior lunch program. “All of these programs are free for the seniors, completely free,” Montoya said, noting that Meals on Wheels Orange County asks for a suggested donation of $3 from seniors and $5 from people under 60.

Montoya gave specific attendance figures the commission used to characterize the expansion: roughly 50 seniors in regular health-and-wellness classes (lower on rainy days), 18–25 in tai chi, 25–30 in painting, and 40–50 at bingo sessions. Senior dances have grown from about 40 attendees a year ago to regular turnouts near 165, with one month at 175; the dances include a three-course meal, live band, photo booth and raffles and are subsidized by the Lions Club.

The department provides two transportation services: a shuttle that picks seniors up for community-center activities and a car service for errands or medical appointments. Both services charge 50 cents per one-way ride, and Montoya said applications for both remain at capacity.

Health partnerships and screenings were a major focus. Montoya described a continuing partnership with Providence St. Jude for lectures and screenings, including sessions on heart disease and stroke prevention, polypharmacy, sleep issues, neurodegenerative diseases and diabetes. She said Providence has provided pulmonary screenings, blood-pressure checks and plans for derma scans, grip-strength tests, carotid artery and bone-density screenings; about 20 seniors used the lung function screening cited in the presentation.

The commission also heard that a mobile clinic (described as the Gary Center/VCC mobile unit) regularly provides routine medical care, pediatric services and breast-and-cervical-cancer screening at the community center; staff reported steady patient volumes. A mobile market visits the center and typically serves 35–40 seniors, some of whom are described as housing-insecure.

Other program elements: free AARP tax-preparation sessions this year ran through February with an estimated wait list near 50; trips and tours resumed after COVID (examples cited: Pechanga, Solvang, upcoming San Diego); and a new monthly senior newsletter is being produced and distributed in hard copy at the community center. Montoya said she is working to make a digital “flip book” version for the city website.

Commissioners asked operational questions about lounge hours and cooling services. Montoya said a senior lounge is available during center hours (roughly 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.) with cards, dominoes and quiet activities, and that the city opens the community center as a cooling facility on very hot days with water and light snacks; that cooling center is available to the general public as well as seniors. Commissioners also heard that the city plans to convert two recently purchased buildings into a dedicated senior center satellite with extended hours (an estimated future target of roughly 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.), pending contractor bids and budget alignment.

Montoya invited commissioners to share materials for the newsletter. She also announced a quarterly senior advocacy committee meeting and upcoming events including Senior Health Week (third–seventh of the month referenced in the presentation) and a Senior Health Fair scheduled for November 7.

The commission thanked Montoya and staff for program growth and volunteer support.