The "WOW" of West Philadelphia promotes positive aging and lifelong learning

Hester Owens sews a quilt at the West Philadelphia Senior Community Center

Stitch by stitch, the meticulous handiwork that creates a quilt does more than provide a warm cover. It tells a story, weaving together tradition and technique that lean on generations of history. This is especially true in Black communities, where quilting has served as a form of resistance, community bonding, and memory making. Quilts are woven wisdom.

We rely on the wisdom of older adults whose lived experience provides a roadmap for navigating the future. The West Philadelphia Senior Community Center (WPSCC) uplifts the older adult population by offering opportunities for connection, health and wellness, and joyful recreation through a robust slate of programming. Quilting is just one of the many activities at the Center promoting creativity, lifelong learning, and independence.

The Center is much more than a social and recreational hub. Dubbed the “WOW” (short for Within Our World) of West Philadelphia, the WPSCC is a vital third place in the Parkside neighborhood assisting more than 1500 seniors annually with referral services. Most of those referrals are for essential needs like heating and food. Programs and services are free for residents ages 50 and up, with a minimal fee for certain classes.

Seniors use the computer lab at WPSCC

Visiting the Center throws traditional depictions of older adults as “frail” into serious question. On a recent visit, I was immediately greeted with the vibrant spirit of WPSCC upon walking in, as a group of roughly 50 people exercised together, some sitting, others standing according to individual abilities. The hallways soon transformed into an indoor track, with participants circling the building, some arms pumping, some hanging at their sides, each at their own pace.

Rose Richardson, the Center’s director, took me on a brief tour of the facility. As we dipped in and out of classes, all led by peer facilitators, we talked for a while in one art class led by Alice Wright, a longtime West Philadelphia community organizer. Wright showed me some of the class’s artwork, including one set of drawings done blindfolded. The goal was for the artists to feel their way through an image given by a prompt and create a visual representation of that image without the use of their own vision.

Some of the “blindfolded” artwork by students in Alice Wright’s class

As Wright proudly showed off the results, I was reminded of the untapped creative potential of older adults and the healing properties of an artistic practice. This tight-knit class, which meets consistently, is one of several at WPSCC that give seniors a space to exercise their cognitive and creative muscles. Teaching a class affords the same sense of place and belonging as taking one, according to Wright, who relishes her role as an instructor for keeping her busy and engaged.

WPSCC programming supports our aging neighbors in West Philadelphia with wide variety of activities and services close to home, while also ensuring that basic needs are met within this vulnerable population. Saunders House Foundation is honored to support our aging neighbors in West Philly through the work of the WPSCC. To learn more about them and donate, visit them here.