Our Mission

The mission statement of the Clinton Township Senior Center is to "Dispel the Myths of Aging" by supporting older adults in their pursuit of a lifestyle that nurtures healthy and productive living."

Our Philosophy

The Clinton Twp. Senior Center seeks to create an atmosphere that acknowledges the value of human life, individually and collectively, and affirms the dignity and self-worth of the older adult. This atmosphere provides for the reaffirmation of creative potential, the warmth of caring, sharing, giving and supporting. In an atmosphere of wellness it develops strengths and encourages independence, while building interdependence and supporting unavoidable dependencies.

The Senior Center works with older person not for them, enabling and facilitating their decisions and their actions, and in so doing creates and supports a sense of community which further enables older persons to continue their involvement with and contribution to the larger community.

The Clinton Township Senior Center philosophy is based on the premise that aging is a normal developmental process; that human beings need peers with whom they can interact and who are available as a source of encouragement and support; and that adults have the right to have a voice in determining matters in which they have a vital interest.

In accordance with these premises and on the basis of experience, the Clinton Township Senior Center adheres to the following beliefs:

• Older people are individuals and adults with ambitions, capabilities and creative capacities.
• They are capable of continued growth and development.
• They, like all people, have certain basic needs, including opportunities for relationships and to experience a sense of achievement.
• They have a right to make choices and to be part of decision making processes.

- Senior Center staffs are obligated to create and maintain a climate of respect, trust, and support, to provide opportunities for older people to exercise their skills and to develop their potential as experienced adults within the context of the whole community to which they belong and to which they bring their wisdom, experience and insight.

Working with reporters from the local newspapers, Clinton Township Senior Citizens programs have received wide media coverage. Stories on volunteers, senior Olympic winners, and special programs, have regularly appeared in the local papers. Partnerships and sponsorships via area hospitals, health care and business professionals have long been a focus of our staff. Sponsorship in the form of monies, goods and services have also added to our services.

There is absolutely no doubt that the programs offered to Senior Citizens in Clinton Township have enriched the lives of thousands of older adults. Activities and opportunities provided here fill leisure time with quality time. We never miss an opportunity to use the media, as a tool to dispel stereotypes of aging by honoring the resourcefulness and creativity of the "chronologically gifted." The seniors are our best critics. Below are two statements made by seniors participating in our programs:

"I like and feel very comfortable with myself and what I have accomplished in my lifetime. I am sure that many of our seniors using the facilities do so too. They do not fit the stereotype that society sometimes places on them. People who have always been active physically all their lives still have a keep desire to stay young by keeping up with the current events, taking care of themselves through exercise, diet , volunteering; taking pride in their grooming and sport competition. They do not look their age nor act their age. Their minds are alert whether working on crafts, playing cards, or working on stained glass....."

"The stereotype of grandfather sitting in the rocking chair, wearing out of date clothes, and grandma knitting shawls, or baby-booties, has been replaced by the modern grandparent, who can be wearing the latest fashion, driving a sports car, or inviting the family out for a day on grandpa's cruiser!."

The Senior Citizens program in Clinton Township is highly successful in serving the needs of its approximate 25,000 older adult population. 

The most recent addition to the Center, a weight training/fitness room has been overwhelmingly successful. It houses equipment such as stationery bikes, treadmills, a baffles rowing machine, a small trampoline, a lateral fitness ski machine, two universal strength training stations, free standing weights and six Slender You exercise tables designed for persons who need assistance with exercising, and want to avoid physical exertion.

Older adults with histories of heart problems, arthritis, high blood pressure, knee and hip replacements are getting stronger each week. In addition to gaining physical strength participants demonstrate a sense of mental well-being with an increase in self-confidence and self-image.

"I love to use the exercise room at the Center," states Joann Apruzzeese. "I work out on the treadmill and the bike five days a week. The exercise has improved my health in many ways. First of all, my cholesterol has improved. Second, my blood pressure has gone down, and third my arthritis is better, so my health and flexibility have improved."

The staff is witnessing a healthier, happier, and more physically active group of seniors moving about on a daily basis. Our senior are assuming a personal responsibility for their own health and well-being.

210 senior volunteers assist the staff members with the workload year round. Volunteer involvement is crucial to smooth running of the office, fitness room, gym and programs at large.

In addition, the Clinton Township Senior Center, has a gym and active sport program for its seniors which includes 3 softball teams, 3 volleyball teams, table tennis, badminton, bocce ball, bowling and golf leagues. Many members of these groups have returned from both local and national Senior Olympics as gold, silver and bronze medal winners.

Clinton Township is also proud to be the home base of the National Association of Senior Softball, which recently celebrated its 10th anniversary tournament. Further, The Ms. Senior Michigan Pageant for women 60 years plus, is held in Clinton Township at the Macomb Center for the Performing Arts Center each fall. The pageant also celebrated its 10th anniversary recently. These two organizations are excellent examples of dispelling the stereotypes long associated with aging.

The Clinton Township Senior Center is well known in Macomb County and throughout the state of Michigan for its excellence in programming to the senior citizen community. We hold the distinction of winning three state level awards citing the senior center for excellence in programming. Our first award was from the Office of Services to the Aging in Lansing in 1990. In 1994 we won the "Senior Center Achievement Award" sponsored by NCOA, NISC, and the Senior Network. In February of 1996 we received the Michigan Recreation and Park Association "Innovative Programming" award at the state-wide conference in Grand Rapids, Mi..

Beginning with 1995 the Clinton Township Senior Center formed partnerships with Clintondale Community Schools and Chippewa Valley Schools to expand and market our programs. (see enclosed information.) In collaboration with Mt. Clemens General Hospital's Physical Therapy Department and research staff from Wayne State University "A Ten Week Moderate Intensity Low Impact Aerobic Dance Exercise Program to Improve Selected Functional Abilities in Older Adults" was conducted and completed.

The staff of the Clinton Township Senior Center, trained in gerontology, are well prepared to provide services and programming to our members that will enhance their quality of life. We firmly believe that our educational background in gerontology is an asset! Few senior programs in the neighboring communities have gerontology educated leadership. The support and cooperation we receive from Township officials have definitely made the efforts of the Senior Center staff so successful. It takes a variety of ingredients, thoroughly blended, to create a winning recipe!

Since 1984 we have welcomed student interns from neighboring community colleges and universities providing them a worksite to learn about the field of aging. We continue to provide hands on training and career information to personnel entering the field of aging. We have an excellent track record with 98% of our former interns actively working in the field.

In recent years, we have increased opportunities for intergenerational interaction. We have had elementary and high school students participate in on-site events providing them with a tour of our facility & life experiences on the property. Students are seeing firsthand that seniors are alive and active within the community. We believe in "Working Together Making Life Better" philosophy.