El Paso senior centers return to daily operation with full activities

EL PASO, Texas -- After a long wait through the pandemic, and additional waiting time as a battle was fought with the city about reopening senior centers, Monday was first day El Paso senior centers reopened full time.

Going forward, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, anyone aged 60 years and older can spend their free time with friends and fellow senior citizens.

The seniors ABC-7 spoke with on Monday were happy to be back.

"We're very happy," and "we're glad it opened [so we can] enjoy our friends and talk with our friends again," Dora Villanueva and Gloria Trujillo said. Juan Jalomo said he was looking forward to dancing with his friends again.

Seniors can do a range of activities at the centers: Pool, dominoes, singing and dancing - just to name some of the activities. However, arguably the most important activity is social interaction - something they were unable to do throughout the pandemic.

"We were at home. We couldn't go out, and then the people who were staying at home were going through depression, loneliness, and we even had people commit suicide," Villanueva said.

The seniors recalled feelings of depression, anxiety, and loneliness. Leg issues were common too, as seniors walked less during the pandemic. More than one senior stated that it was tough to walk at first due to being less mobile.

At Hilos de Plata, 24 members of the center were lost during the pandemic either due to medical conditions or suicide. It's a fatality number much higher than usual, as typically the centers lose 2 to 3 people a year. Many of the senior centers have lost about 20 people through the past year or so.

Most of this information is known well by the seniors. Tears have been shed due to so many never seeing their friends again as they passed during the pandemic. The seniors won't forget them, but the centers reopening is a new beacon of hope in a world trying to return to normal.

As the centers reopen, seniors are hoping to reunite with their friends in the community.

Villanueva's message: "We're asking the public to please look at us on TV and come back, and know that we are open again. Come and have fun, get out of that depression, get out of that loneliness. You need to get out of that and come back here."

A list of all the fully reopened centers can be found below. The senior centers are open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday with full reactivation of programming and activities.

• · Eastside Senior Center, 3200 Fierro Dr.
• · Pavo Real Senior Center, 9311 Alameda Ave.
• · Grandview Senior Center, 3134 Jefferson Ave.
• · Happiness Senior Center, 563 N. Carolina Dr.
• · Hilos de Plata Senior Center, 4451 Delta Dr.
• · Memorial Senior Center, 1800 Byron St.
• · Polly Harris Senior Center, 650 Wallenberg Dr.
• · San Juan Senior Center, 5701 Tamburo Ct.
• · South El Paso Senior Center, 600 S. Ochoa St.
• · Wellington Chew Senior Center, 4430 Maxwell Ave.