Senior Activities - June 01, 2016
I was recently asked by a member of our senior population, “What are you doing for Foster City seniors?” That’s a great question. So, I thought I would check in with our Parks and Recreation Department to see what programs we offer our senior residents. Foster City actually has quite a robust senior program. We have a Senior Wing that is staffed with a part-time employee and volunteers Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. They are there to assist customers with questions, answer phones, make reservations for various activities, and carry out other such duties.
The Senior Express bus operates on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays by appointment only for a fee of $2 one-way within Foster City and $5 one-way within out-of-town areas. The bus is available for door-to-door service for errands and medical appointments and seats 19 passengers, with accommodations for two wheelchairs.
The Senior Center offers two day trips each month, including trips to historic sites, performances, factories, museums, gardens, restaurants, among other venues. The fees for such trips range from $65 to $100, depending on the destination. Classes are also offered through the Senior Center in partnership with the San Mateo Adult School. The fee is a $5 administration fee, which is paid to the Parks and Recreation Department to help offset the costs of the Senior Programs. Classes offered include, painting and drawing, sewing, knitting, Yoga, Zumba Gold, Tai Chi, and Qi Gong.
Every third Wednesday of the month at 11:15 a.m., the Lunch Bunch program participants meet in the Senior Center lobby to embark on the Express Bus for lunch at a variety of local restaurants. The participants pay for their own lunch, plus $4 for transportation. On the first Tuesday of the month at 11:30 a.m., the Senior Center partners with Sunrise Senior Living and the Foster City Rotary Club to offer the Senior Meals Program. The hot lunch includes soup, an entrée, and dessert for a fee of $4. To participate, pre-registration is required.
Weekly card game events and Bingo are played at the Senior Center on a drop-in basis; and on Thursdays at 12:30 p.m., movies are played in the Sunfish Room. Participants are treated to free popcorn and water during the movie.
Educational seminars are offered periodically throughout the year on topics such as Medicare, financial services, and senior housing issues. AARP also partners several times a year with the Senior Center to provide interactive classes for drivers 50 years of age and older in which participants can sharpen their driving skills and develop strategies for age-related changes in vision and hearing, etc. AARP members pay $15; the non-member fee is $20.
The Senior Center also partners with AARP to provide free one-on-one assistance with tax returns. This assistance is offered on Wednesdays from February through April.
Other activities, such as bocce ball, tennis, the summer concert series, and the Fourth of July celebration are available to seniors and all Foster City residents to enjoy. We are fortunate to live in this City with so many opportunities for us to participate in activities that enrich our lives and maintain our health.
Of course, several non-profit organizations in Foster City offer services for our senior population, as well. If you are aware of other non-profit agencies and services for seniors in our area, I would appreciate receiving a note from you. I can be reached at cmahanpour@fostercity.org. (Many thanks to Jennifer Liu for her assistance in putting together this Senior Program List for me.)
