Leonora C. Rodriguez
Milford Senior Center
Leonora C. Rodriguez
The Milford Senior Center recently held its second annual Easter Luncheon on March 27. This event, along with last year’s Christmas and Thanksgiving gatherings, was made possible through the generosity of Milford resident and center member Anthony Silvestro.
In his final wishes, Silvestro set aside funds to ensure that Milford seniors could enjoy a special holiday meal together during these three celebrations for the next 15 years. It is an extraordinary and deeply meaningful gift.
Nearly 265 guests joined us, filling three rooms with conversation, laughter and the comfort of being together. Members enjoyed a delicious catered lunch from Lasse’s Restaurant. But the true highlight was the sense of connection: old friends catching up, new friendships forming and a shared holiday moment that felt warm and welcoming.
Anyone who walks through the center on a typical morning will recognize that same energy. The building hums with people talking, learning, moving and engaging. That activity reflects something more than simply staying busy. In occupational therapy, Ann Wilcock describes four dimensions that support healthy living: being, doing, becoming and belonging. These concepts are straightforward, yet they capture something essential about how people grow and maintain well‑being throughout their lives.
Doing refers to the routines and responsibilities that shape much of adulthood. Being is the ability to slow down, be present and enjoy the moment. Becoming reflects the ongoing process of personal growth as life changes. Belonging is the sense of connection to a community that supports and values you.
For many older adults, the doing phase of life begins to shift. Long‑held roles evolve or come to an end, and the question becomes: What now? What fills the space that work, caregiving and daily responsibilities once occupied?
This is where the Milford Senior Center plays a vital role. People do not simply stay active here. They rediscover themselves. They try new classes, reconnect with old interests and enjoy the company of others who understand their stage of life.
I see this every day. Someone may come in for an activity, but over time they become a more confident, connected version of themselves.
Research supports this experience. A 2023 study by Zhao et al. published in the journal SSM – Population Health found that older adults who feel healthier are more likely to participate socially, and that social participation in turn improves how healthy they feel. It is a reinforcing cycle, and we see it in action at the Milford Senior Center.
When people show up, they feel better, and when they feel better, they continue to show up.
This movement between doing and being, and between becoming and belonging, is where the heart of the center lives. You see people engaged and curious, but you also see people simply being themselves, finding comfort in familiar faces, taking a moment to sit, talk or just exist in a place where they feel they belong.
This is why the senior center matters. This is why investment in community spaces is essential. Yet stigma around aging and senior services still exists, and it often influences how senior centers are funded and understood.
As I write this, I am preparing for the aldermanic budget meeting on April 22, where I will present the center’s needs. These meetings matter because they give us the opportunity to speak up for the people who fill our center and this city with life every day. They allow us to remind our community that older adults deserve the support and the welcoming spaces, like the Milford Senior Center, that enable them to feel grounded, purposeful and connected.
Leonora C. Rodriguez is executive director of the Milford Senior Center. The center can be reached at milfordctseniorcenter.com or 203-877-5131.