The Granby Senior Center Pilots New Program for Anyone 65+

The Granby Senior Center Announces New Pilot Program with SecureSeniorConnections™!

We are pleased to announce our selection as a test pilot location for SecureSeniorConnections™, an exciting new online community that offers adults 65+ the opportunity to enjoy new experiences, create new friendships and have fun learning!

Even prior to the pandemic, the Senior Center was looking for ways to keep people connected who might not be able to get out of their homes or who experienced loneliness during nights or weekends when they were not open. SecureSeniorConnections™ seemed like a possible answer. SecureSeniorConnections™ Director Seth Smiley talked about what the driving force behind their online community was. He stated, “Our founders operated an insurance agency in Arizona. One of the issues they kept running into was social wellness among their older adult members - folks felt lonely and isolated, and that quickly contributed to health issues. The numbers are staggering - well over half of older adults’ struggle with feelings of loneliness, and the health impacts are akin to smoking and obesity. There were not ready tools to support improving connection and building community for these folks, so we set about making one ourselves. We were in the middle of developing our first version of the platform when Covid struck. The pandemic exacerbated all the problems we had been seeing, but also made the issues of social isolation and loneliness among older adults much more visible for everyone. Over the past two years our work has taken on a new urgency, and our goal is to grow our community as quickly as possible, giving older adults a fun way to explore their passions, meet new people in their community and across the country, all in a safe, moderated, online environment.” Director of Human Services at the Granby Senior Center, Sandra Yost, stated “It seemed like a natural fit for us.”

Smiley explained how the program works, “Our online community, designed specifically for older adults, improves connectedness and wellbeing. The site was built from the ground-up to be easy to navigate and fun to use. We have community greeters on the site, and it is all supported by an empathetic, live support team. Members sign-up with an easy link, and then have the ability to meet new people, expand their knowledge and stay active by joining member groups, attending educational, inspirational, or social events, and finding volunteering opportunities! Joining our community is by invite only - all our members are sponsored, either by a health plan, a community center or any other organization aligned with our values and mission. We do not sell data or advertising on our site, instead our model is built around working with organizations that have a vested interest in improving older adults’ social, emotional, and physical well-being. Our ultimate goal is helping seniors connect with purpose.”

When asked why the Granby Senior Center, Smiley replied, “One of the ways we describe ourselves is a “senior center without walls.” We love what senior centers do and wanted to partner with a forward-thinking organization to see how we could complement the wonderful work already being done in the community. Lori, Sandy, and the rest of the Granby Senior Center team have been amazing partners. As Covid-19 has isolated many people, we know the Granby Senior Center is passionate about the wellbeing of their community and expressed a strong desire to expand social programs beyond their walls. While there is normally a monthly fee to provide unlimited access to the site, Granby Senior Center and Secure Senior Connections have partnered to offer the service at no charge for any resident 65+ who enrolls on or before June 30th, 2022.

SecureSeniorConnections™ has extensive security measures in place and

*has no advertising on their platform

*Does not sell participant information

*Collects no personal health information

*Does not take credit card information or personal addresses

The partnership between Granby and SecureSeniorConnections™ had a soft launch on Wednesday, February 9. Information sessions were offered via Zoom and in person at the Senior Center. For more information call the Granby Senior Center at 860-844-5352.