She calls it “the drop-off dilemma.”
As a couple ages, the spouses don’t always need the same type of care, said Eileen Bradshaw, president and CEO of LIFE Senior Services.
“Maybe one needs a day-health program, while the other would benefit from socializing at an activity center,” Bradshaw explained. And that can lead to a choice between going their separate ways or just not seeking out the services they need.
“It’s a dilemma we don’t want Tulsa seniors to face anymore,” Bradshaw said.
LIFE Senior Services broke ground Tuesday on a 9-acre campus that will offer three of its signature programs at a single location near 51st Street and Sheridan Road.
Remodeling and expanding the former Bates Elementary School, the campus will include an adult day health program, an active senior center and a 13,000-square-foot LIFE PACE medical clinic.
People are also reading…
“Isolation is the enemy of healthy aging,” Bradshaw said. And when the new campus is finished, perhaps by the end of the year, Tulsa seniors will have access to a variety of services “without the psychological barrier of: ‘OK, I’m dropping you off now.’”
Twenty percent of Tulsa’s population will be senior citizens by 2030, Mayor G.T. Bynum said at the groundbreaking ceremony.
“We want Tulsa to be the best city it can be for senior citizens,” he said.
LIFE launched a capital campaign in July 2021 to raise more than $14.25 million for the project, with contributions from some of Tulsa’s biggest philanthropic foundations providing enough funding to build the facilities, create a maintenance fund and provide program support.
Other amenities will include an 8,450-square-foot gymnasium, gardens and outdoor recreation areas, along with on-site parking and 6 acres left open for growth.
Featured video:
Grace Wood and James Watts talk about Jimmie Tramel's "A to Z eats" area favorite dishes feature. Were there any surprise omissions? What were their favorites?
Michael Overall
Staff Writer
Born and raised in Oklahoma, I write news features and personal columns on a variety of topics. Phone: 918-581-8383
