Park
Slope Geriatric Day Center
199 14th Street, Brooklyn
Mon. - Fri.
8:30AM - 3:00PM
Every weekday at 8:30 a.m. program participants
begin to arrive at the 14th Street Center, picked up by the red van
or dropped off by a family member. The coffee's hot, and the staff
is welcoming.
The program day begins with social time, when we catch up with news and greet
new members. Skilled program staff plan out each month's activities in advance,
and a monthly newsletter keeps everyone informed of daily and special events.
No holiday goes unnoticed, and monthly birthday parties are cause for regular
celebration. Music and dancing are favorites, and anyone who walks into the
building can hear the laughter echoing down the hallway.
Each day includes low impact exercise and adapted sports such as bowling. During
warm weather months there are lunch time barbecues, day trips to parks or zoos,
an annual boat ride in New York harbor, and walks in the neighborhood to nearby
shops.
PSGDC is known for its award-winning weaving program, and staff or consultants keep up this tradition. Through a grant from the Haym Salomon Foundation, PSGDC has been part of the "Art in the Neighborhoods" program in recent years, involving our members in art history and providing funds for experts in particular art forms to teach new skills. Members have created beautiful candles and soaps for gifts and some have discovered new talents in painting or beading. As Mary B. once announced: "I thought my life was over, and you're making me into an artist!" Through the "Art in the Neighborhood" program, members' artwork is exhibited publicly. The 2000 show was held in the historic Borough Hall in downtown Brooklyn, and pieces from PSGDC artists were also shown in the "Art in the Neighborhood" city-wide show.
The ramp entrance to our center (above).
