In March, we celebrate “National Let’s Laugh Day.” We can think of no better example of the health benefits of laughter and smiling than Monument Crisis Center’s Senior Moments program. Every first and third Thursday morning of the month, our Center rings with the laughter of clients who love gathering over breakfast and bingo.

We tailored our Senior Moments especially to the needs of clients who are aged “55 or better.” We provide participants with a healthy breakfast, time to socialize, educational sessions from healthcare and community experts, extra helpings of groceries, bilingual Bingo, and, most importantly, a sense of community. To get a glimpse into what this program means to a selection of our clients and our steadfast volunteers, we invite you to watch this touching video created for our Heartfelt Gala:

And for our readers who like evidence-based storytelling, we recently issued a satisfaction survey to our Senior Moments participants. We’re happy to report that 92 percent of them attend every session, and 100 percent take part in the Bingo game!  Other activities most attendees participate in include extra helpings of groceries (78 percent), breakfast and beverages (67 percent), and health screenings (56 percent).

In the free response section of the survey, our clients poured out their positive feelings about Senior Moments:

• “I enjoy seeing such friendly faces and visiting and making friends.”
• “During Bingo, we laugh so much and get prizes that are very useful for my house.”
• “Senior Moments does us good because it brings us together and because of the attention they give us.”
• “It motivates us and helps us to exercise our minds.”
• “I enjoy learning some tips about aging from the presentations by our doctors.”
• “It’s a friendly gathering.”
• “I like Bingo because we share the experience with different people from different countries.”
• “I get to associate with everyone, seeing the same people and meeting new ones.”
• “I like everything!”

For our elderly clients who live alone or care for a loved one, Monument Crisis Center’s Senior Moments program is a highlight of their lives every two weeks. We are honored to provide this friendly, welcoming gathering. To learn how you can volunteer or donate to support Senior Moments, visit https://monumentcrisiscenter.org/programs/community-engagement/.