image

Reframing Communication About Senior Centers

Pennsylvania's 400+ Senior Community Centers welcome thousands of older adults through their doors every day — offering nutritious meals, educational opportunities, transportation, exercise programs, and more. Yet outdated ideas about aging continue to shape public perception and participation in these local community spaces.   

In 2025, the Pennsylvania Department of Aging partnered with the National Center to Reframe Aging to change that. As a key tactic in Aging Our Way, PA — Pennsylvania's 10-year multisector plan on aging — the partnership set out to explore new approaches to increase public awareness, engagement, and investment in Senior Community Centers as vibrant, in-person community hubs.

Resources:

  • Reframing Communications about Senior Centers Quick Start Guide

    Click to download the Reframing Communications about Senior Centers Quick Start Guide.

    You must log in to access content.
  • Reframing Communications About Senior Community Centers: Phase 1 Report

    September 2025.

    Click to download the report.

    You must log in to access content.
  • Reframing Communications About Senior Community Centers: Recommended Communication Strategies in Pennsylvania

    June 2026.

    Click to download the report.

    You must log in to access content.
  • Webinar: Reframing Communications About Senior Centers: Lessons Learned from Pennsylvania

    Join Executive Director Trish D’Antonio as she moderates a conversation with Pennsylvania Secretary of Aging Jason Kavulich, Pennsylvania Senior Center Association President Renee Cunningham, and National Center to Reframe Aging Director of Program Development Hannah Albers for a conversation about what we learned on July 8 at 2pm ET. Secretary Kavulich will share his vision for reframing aging as the foundation for Aging Our Way, PA. Together, the group will walk through how this partnership came to be, what the research process involved, and what we learned about framing strategies to improve understanding of Senior Community Centers and the vital role they play in communities across the Commonwealth.

    Participants will leave with insights from a groundbreaking partnership and a deeper understanding of how research-based communication strategies transform how aging services organizations talk about our work and the people we serve.


    Reframing Communications About Senior Centers: Lessons Learned from Pennsylvania

    You must log in to access content.
  • Press Release:

    Department of Aging Takes Action to Modernize Pennsylvania’s 400+ Senior Community Centers (October 28, 2025)

    You must log in to access content.
  • Press Release:

    Department of Aging Invests $3 Million to Upgrade Senior Community Centers, Further Supporting and Connecting Older Adults in Their Communities (July 23, 2025)

    You must log in to access content.
  • Press Release:

    Department of Aging Partners with National Center to Reframe Aging to Strengthen Senior Community Centers Across the Commonwealth, Further Improve Quality of Life for Older Pennsylvanians (July 14, 2025)

    You must log in to access content.