NEW HANOVER COUNTY – The New Hanover County Senior Resource Center has been recertified as a Center of Excellence by the North Carolina Division of Aging and Adult Services (NCDAAS). This certification is the highest certification given by the NCDAAS and is valid for five years, through May 31, 2027.
“This recertification is a testament to the dedication by our Senior Resource Center staff to bring meaningful services for older adults in our community,” said Senior Resource Center Director Amber Smith. “The county’s commitment and adoption of the Master Aging Plan supports a comprehensive framework for how we provide those services and resources over the coming years. And the Senior Resource Center will continue to evaluate community needs and implement innovative programs that will enhance the quality of life for all older adults. I’m so grateful to have an amazing team committed to making this possible, to ensure we are and remain a center of excellence and a leader in the state and nation.”
This marks more than two decades of excellence by New Hanover County’s Senior Resource Center as the department has been certified by the NCDAAS since 2001. Out of 170 senior centers throughout the state, New Hanover County is currently one of only 84 to earn Center of Excellence distinction.
NCDAAS uses a process known as Senior Center Operations and Program Evaluation (SCOPE) to measure a center’s practices and service delivery in five major operational areas – outreach and access to services, programs and activities; planning, evaluation, and input from older adults; staffing; operations; and physical plant. The information provided in the SCOPE study is reviewed by a certification team consisting of staff from NCDAAS and the Area Agency on Aging.
Certification is a voluntary process senior centers around the state take part in to be recognized as viable, fundable and qualified providers of services for aging populations. The purpose is to strengthen the capacity of senior centers by providing measurable indicators of best practices, improving the quality of senior centers, recognizing excellence that exists and providing a guide for developing activities and services that meet consumer needs.
“Amber and the Senior Resource Center team have spent countless hours developing and implementing impactful, creative strategies that provide our seniors with an array of services aimed at meeting their social, emotional and nutritional needs,” said County Manager Chris Coudriet. “This recertification validates that their hard work is meeting those standards and setting an example for others to follow.”
The Senior Resource Center is a place where adults age 55 and older can gather and participate in recreational, social, educational, nutritional, and health-promoting activities. To learn more, visit SRC.NHCgov.com.