A senior center nourishes the soul

Among the scores of community centers on Long Island, the Glen Cove Senior Center has earned a unique honor. The center's Passport to Wellness: Lifelong Learning Program is a winner of the national 2012 MindAlert Award from the American Society on Aging and the MetLife Foundation.

The award, which includes a $1,500 prize, is given to selected nonprofit organizations around the country that have developed programs aimed at enhancing the quality of life for older adults, while helping to prevent cognitive decline. Glen Cove was one of three winning programs this year. "We're going to put the money toward resources to enhance our brain-fitness program," says Carol Waldman, the center's executive director.

There are two Passport to Wellness events held each month, except in July and August. The lectures and workshops are focused on keeping seniors involved and mentally active. Events are free for Nassau County residents 60 and older, though the center focuses on its core area of Glen Cove and surrounding communities.

The Wellness program "covers every kind of topic you can think of," says Lucy Van Horn, the center's program coordinator. "It's very similar to what they do at some of the colleges, except at the colleges you wind up paying anywhere from $500 to $700." Recent Passport events covered an array of subjects, including the Brooklyn Dodgers, the Civil War, astronomy and fashion. This month's offerings are organic container gardens on Wednesday and seniors and fashion on April 25. Each event starts at 1:30 p.m.

Beyond the Passport series, Glen Cove, like all Island senior centers, offers scores of programs and events, including computer instruction, yoga, exercise classes, health assessments, music and games. The center has more than 1,000 active members and serves about 23,000 meals a year. With the oldest boomers turning 66 this year, Glen Cove and other senior centers are becoming intergenerational facilities. Balancing each generation's wants and needs is challenging, especially when it comes to boomers, Waldman says. "They may not [all] be interested in being served a hot meal, but they are interested in being nourished on other levels."

The center is open Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. For more, call 516-759-9610 or go to glencoveseniorcenter.com.