Whether it’s Beginning Ballet, Soul Line Dancing, Zumba Gold, Yoga, or Restorative Pilates, the new San Diego Oasis Wellness Center at Grossmont Center Mall in La Mesa offers a variety of classes to keep San Diego seniors active, healthy and engaged while having fun.

Isolation and sedentary behaviors, prevalent in older adults as they age and circumstances change, are challenges that can be turned into solutions with stimulation for the brain, body and soul.  As recommended by the World Health Organization, socialization and activity are key to keeping seniors on a path to a flourishing and active retirement. Staying engaged and curious, and participating in physical activity contributes to aging adults’ ability to stay healthy and mobile.

To the members of San Diego Oasis, growing old is optional. They are active in more than 1700 offered travel opportunities and classes from creative writing and water color to foreign language and dance. Over 500 members also take part in an intergenerational literacy tutoring program that pairs older adults with at risk, low income elementary school students to improve reading skills and self-esteem.

One member expressed, “We need the students as much as they need us," explaining how the program keeps them active and valued, creating a meaningful experience for both parties. There is an endless opportunity for aging San Diegans to continue learning, alleviate the aches and pains of growing older, and use their talents in the community. 

Join San Diego Oasis at their new Lifelong Learning Center opening June 7 or visit their Wellness Center, both at Grossmont Center Mall in La Mesa. San Diego Oasis also has a center in Escondido for North County residents and offers activities at a number of local libraries and senior centers throughout San Diego County. Their intergenerational tutoring program is currently being offered at 103 schools across the county.

Go to www.sandiegooasis.org or call (619) 881-6262 for more information.