Bryan County Senior Services: We Are Here For You!

𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐛𝐲 𝐂𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐢𝐝
𝐏𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐡𝐲 𝐛𝐲 𝐋𝐞𝐢𝐝𝐲 𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫

Bryan County provides their senior residents with two wonderful centers, located in Richmond Hill and Pembroke, that provide hot meals, social activities and most importantly—people who care.

Sally Shuman is the Director of Services for Senior Citizens Services of Bryan County and says, “We are senior services, so we serve Bryan County residents who are sixty years old and up by providing a place all their own, where they can enjoy a hot meal, conversation and lots of fun activities.”

In order to be eligible for center services, a senior must be self-sufficient and make the commitment to attend their center at least twice a week. Each center offers the same services and while there is a waiting list for the Richmond Hill Center there are currently multiple openings at the Pembroke Center. 

Approximately 80 to 90 seniors are currently served. A county resident can attend either center, but transportation is only available for the immediate area around each center. (For example, a Richmond Hill senior can enroll at the Pembroke Center but will have to provide their own transportation). Both centers are open Monday through Friday from 10:00am to 2:00pm.

𝐀𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬

Once enrolled at a center, seniors can enjoy a hot meal every day, as well as crafts, games and plenty of fellowship and socialization.

Outings and shopping trips are offered on a regular basis, as are holiday parties and picnics.

Fitness plays a big role at the centers, with exercise programs offered weekly. There are parks nearby each center, with accessible walking areas.

The library comes on certain days and there are also computers available for members to use.

There is no cost to join, and meals cost about one dollar each. Offsite trips do cost more but the cost is based on the senior’s budget, so they are affordable for the members.

“Most popular are the shopping trips,” says Sally. “We also have trips to the movies, bowling, all kinds of activities. The members appreciate the opportunity to go anywhere.”

Sally says the centers provide members something to look forward to. “Being alone is hard to deal with, and so many seniors are alone. They are often lonely, which leads to depression, which also leads to a lack of nutrition. These are very real issues for seniors. Socialization—just being with other people—really makes a difference in the members’ lives.”

𝐆𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐎𝐮𝐭

The centers offer programming for needs such as vision, hearing, and home energy services through various agencies such as the Georgia Legal Services and the Department of Health. They need to get the word out about what’s available to Bryan county’s seniors.

“They don’t realize what we do here, or even where we are, especially in Pembroke. We need to let people know we have openings in the Pembroke center. I would like to see Pembroke have a waiting list too, like we do in Richmond Hill.”

Potential members can make arrangements to come to a center for two days a week for two weeks and see how it goes before starting the paperwork or formally becoming a member. If they do decide to enroll, they will complete the paperwork at the center with the center manager.

“We need insurance and emergency contact information.” Sally says, “We do the application together, and all the information is confidential and kept under lock and key.”

Transportation services to and from the centers are also available as well as group trips, outings and shopping trips. Other trips must be scheduled on an individual basis with the Coastal Regional Coaches Regional Rural Transportation service at (866) 543-6744.

𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) allocated annual funds to Georgia’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, which is administered by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA). This year’s grant awards will fund $27.7 million in infrastructure projects, $4.1 million in housing projects, and $2 million in various building projects across the 37 awarded communities.

Among the grant recipients is Bryan County, which will get $1 million to build a new Senior Services Center in Pembroke, according to DCA. The total project cost is $2.236 million, with the county matching with $1.236 million.

The new center will ensure those living in Pembroke have access to all the same services that are currently being offered in Richmond Hill. It will be located on the corner of Ware Street and McFadden Drive and it will be built by 2025.

The new Pembroke center will be able to serve 120 seniors a day and will have an expanded staff. At this time services are only available to residents who sign up and make a commitment to attend twice a week at the minimum but after the new center is completed, there will be activities such as yoga and health classes that will be available on a one time “ sign up” basis. A real win-win for all senior residents!

𝐃𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦

Sally has been the Director of Services for seven years, and with the county in administrative positions for 25 years.

“There are three full time staff at each center, one part timer and me,” she says. “And everyone works as a team. We really have a great team and I appreciate everything they do and how much they care about the seniors. We are here to help seniors, that’s our mission, and we do just that and the benefit to seniors is a healthier life.”

It’s a busy job but Sally says, “I love it. We have the best job in Bryan County. We get to plan things, do things, and the seniors keep us on our toes.” She says, “They become our family. We get through the holidays together, and we get through the tough times together. And we truly enjoy the good times together.”