Senior Center Receives National Re-accreditation

The National Institute of Senior Centers (NISC) recognized our Senior Center as the first accredited senior center in Virginia in November, 2002. We are proud to report that we have been approved for re-accreditation after Rennie Cohen, our accreditation reviewer, was on site November 1-2, 2007!

NISC is a unit of the National Council on Aging (NCOA) founded in 1950 that promotes dignity, self-determination, well-being, and the contributions of seniors.

Our national accreditation was sponsored by The Colonnades Senior Living Community in 2002 and again in 2007.

Rennie Cohen particularly applauded our:

* Extraordinary array of programs
* Strong volunteer leadership and input into Center operations
* Diversity of funding streams
* Exceptional management and governance
* Exceptional marketing and public relations efforts
* Great collaborations, including Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UVA (formerly JILL) 
* Extensive work done to develop program outcome measures
* Travel program that provides broad array of travel options for seniors 

National accreditation is based on an intensive self-assessment and a peer review covering nine standards: Purpose; Community; Program Planning, Evaluation, Governance, Administration; Fiscal Management, Reports and Record Keeping; and Facility.

There are 15,000 senior centers in America, and we are just the 84th to achieve this
milestone. Founded as one of the first 200 senior centers in America, our Senior Center has long been on the leading edge of providing life enriching programs for seniors.

Nine work groups conducted in-depth evaluations of each standard and then presented their findings to the full Task Force which further reviewed our compliance with the standards. Four Board of Directors committees served as work groups (Purpose, Fiscal, Human Resources, Governance) and five work groups were formed for the remaining standards. Over forty individuals including every member of the Board of Directors and staff as well as Center members, volunteers, and community experts participated in the work groups.

We thank the accreditation task force for all of conducting an in-depth self-assessment to ensure we meet the accreditation standards: Senior Center members/volunteers: Bill Hodson (Board of Directors), Co-chair; Mary Reese, Co-chair, Jackie Caroll (Board of Directors), Dick Carpenter, Betty Hopkins; Inge Hull, Marilyn Philippi, Charles St. Clair; Clarece Edson (Senior Council Vice-Chair). Senior Center staff: Beth Barber, Sheryl Miller and Peter Thompson.

Community Members: Karen Beiber (Jefferson Area Board for the Aging), Jane Belisle (Virginia Piedmont Technology Council and former staff member); Steve Bowers (Martha Jefferson Hospital), Kathleen Findley (ACAC Fitness Center), Sue Friedman (Alzheimer’s Association), Pat Mullaney (Albemarle County Parks and Recreation), Mike Svetz (Charlottesville Parks and Recreation), Rebecca Ward (Piedmont Virginia Community College), Billie Campbell (Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission), David Catell-Gordon (Albemarle County Social Services), Dick Lindsay (Virginia Commission for Aging), Jon Nafziger (United Way-Thomas Jefferson Area), Rochelle Small-Toney (Charlottesville Assistant City Manager), Juandiego Wade (Albemarle County Planning Department), Sharon Frazier (LexisNexis), Alison Dickie (Albemarle magazine), Eric Johnson (Bank of America), and Randy Smith (The Laurels).

Individuals who served on the work groups were: Liz Allan, Lori Allshouse, Peggy Boggs, Suzanne Brooks, Dale Chadwick, Norma Chadwick, Sue Erickson, Jane Foy, Cynthia Genet, Marge Haugen, Bert Hysell, Bruce MacCall, Rita McGowen, John McGrath, Sarah Neathery, Dorothy Richards, Sarah Althoff, Molly Anthony, Donna Blessing, Jackie Bright, Doris Fair, Linda Hahn, Jennifer Monges, and Norm Riggins.

This accreditation reinforces what we have known since we opened on February 14, 1960—that we make a substantial impact on thousands of seniors and our entire community and that we are one of the best Senior Centers in America.