Senior Network expands opportunities, activities for older adults

by Judy Stinger

Historically, Hudson has not been a welcoming community for its senior citizens, according to longtime resident Heidi Schweighoefer. Schweighoefer and her all-volunteer Hudson Senior Network board, however, are changing that. 

“From the very tiny beginning back in 2019, we have substantially grown in terms of programming and in terms of the number of attendees we have,” she said. 

The Senior Network began as an outgrowth of former Mayor David Basil’s senior advisory group, which he started in 2018. Then in late 2022, the Hudson Senior Citizen’s group, which has been in operation for nearly 50 years, merged into the fledgling network to create the combined entity that exists today. 

Current Senior Network offerings include weekly chair yoga, line dancing, balance and Mahjong classes and popular bi-monthly educational and enrichment programs. Schweighoefer said the board works hard to deliver a variety of topics that will engage guests. At a recent “Lunch and Learn” event, for example, attendees heard about royal scandals, while a “Snack and Refreshment” event discussed the benefit of using food as medicine.

“In past months, we’ve had an antique appraiser come in and appraise people’s collectibles, presentations on fall prevention and how to avoid being scammed, various programs on health issues for seniors and craft-type programs, including one in which members of the Hudson Garden Club came in and showed us how to put together floral arrangements,” she said. 

The network also hosts a monthly book club and Friday Lunch Bunch and collaborates with a local travel group to provide experiences outside of Hudson. 

“We also have a huge holiday party,” Schweighoefer said. “We have an enormous lunch that the board, along with the mayor, police officers and others, serve to the attendees. There are gifts, usually for everybody, of some sort. … It’s a truly delightful event, and I think it is notable that for some seniors, this is the only Christmas event that they have.”

Schweighoefer added that a new program last year was a Tech Day in November when members of the Western Reserve Academy soccer team sat down for one-to-one clinics about using smart phones and other devices.  

Events can average anywhere from 20 to 100 attendees, and most of them take place in the lower-level community space at Hudson City Hall.

Hudson resident Kathy Veith is a regular attendee at Senior Network events and has watched the group “grow and grow” over the years. The educational luncheons and Mahjong classes are among her favorite activities.

“The people are just fun. They are lively and interested in learning more about the world around them,” Veith said. “It’s a wonderful complement to programs at the library and other places in Hudson.” 

Veith and Kent resident Kathy Pyle said what’s particularly notable is that the Hudson Senior Network is fully volunteer run. Pyle also attends senior events in Stow, where the city pays for personnel to manage its senior programming.  

“It’s so professionally done you would never think it was all volunteers,” said Pyle, who was widowed two years and sought solace in social engagements.  “These groups have truly saved me from some long, dark, lonely days,” she said. “I’ve met some nice people and created lasting friendships. I can’t imagine where I’d be if opportunities like this didn’t exist.” 

Photo caption: Crafts are one of the many activities offered by the city’s nonprofit seniors group. Photos submitted.