LA SED Senior Center Helps Spanish Speaking Seniors With Quality Of Life, While Offering Diverse Programs

(CBS DETROIT)- When you first enter the LA SED senior center you notice something very unique.

Buenos Diaz…Good Morning. You're greeted in Spanish and English.

"We have seniors who are from various Latin American Countries, seniors who are from the Philippians, we have African American," said LA SED coordinator of senior services Anarosa DeLaRosa.

DeLaRosa says the diversity is what stands them apart from other facilities. The center, on Vernor Highway in Southwest Detroit has been around for over 50 years and is the only one of it's kind in the area who's staff speaks both Spanish and English. Their main goal is to offer assistance to those who may not speak English as a first language. Something the seniors says is extremely helpful.

"Appointments and helping you with all kind of necessities that you need," said Gamaliel Vazquez who enjoys attending LA SED senior center.

The center not only helps with making doctor and other important appointments, they offer a variety of classes, mostly taught in both languages.

"I took one for balance and healthy eating," said Gloria Quesada, who has been coming to the center for 20 years.

One of those bi-lingual classes which is a favorite here, is the Zumba class, whether sitting or standing, the seniors says it's a good time.

"I like to go and see the seniors," said Quesada

With the large array of diverse backgrounds, the seniors not only learning from the classes offered here, but from one another.

"From now on it all English no Spanish and I'll talk to them in English and they'll say but it's too hard for me," Quesada said.

But she says sometime they get a little lost in translation.

"Oh don't say that word, that's not a good word it's a bad word," Quesada said jokingly.

The center also offers classes to help immigrants become American citizens. Just recently helping someone in her 90's gain citizenship.

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