Katy Edition | February 2022

COMMUNITY

2 0 2 2 S E N I O R L I V I N G G U I D E

ACTIVITIES OFFERED

Tai Chi

Bridge groups

Painting classes

Ceramic classes

The outdoor space is a frequented spot for chatting among the seniors.

Amanda Di Dio (center), who serves as director of directer of social services at the Fussell Senior Citizen Center, said seniors are thrilled to be back at the center.

COURTESY AMANDA DI DIO

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Fussell Senior Citizen Center Katy senior center reopens doors after pandemic shutdown A fter being closed for 20 months due to the coronavirus pandemic, to the full building that it is today. It has become so popular with the seniors that many of them form lasting friendship groups through- out the years, Di Dio said. BY SIERRA ROZEN

The senior center oers various art classes.

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return to being the busy activity center it was before its doors closed. “Our seniors are thrilled to be back. We are doing word-of mouth advertising right now just because we want to be really cautious with folks. We don’t want to bring in the masses and it just be chaos in here,” Di Dio said. One of the things Di Dio said she wants to focus on is bringing more music activities to the center since her background includes working as a neurologic music therapist. “I’m excited to have more music in the building, more singing [and] more instruments,” Di Dio said. “Honestly, these folks have been teaching me all kinds of new games, and I am loving learning how to play all these new games. I’m excited to see what else they have to teach me.”

the Fussell Senior Citizen Center slowly started to reopen its doors in November. Located in Katy, the center oers social and leisure activities to the entire senior community in Katy, according to Amanda Di Dio, the new director of social services. “There are some nursing homes [and] assisted-living senior living facilities around here, and we invite folks that live there [and] folks that live in their own homes to come and join us for some fun and enrichment and a good time,” Di Dio said. The Fussell Senior Citizen Center originally started as a three-bed- room house that then expanded

Some activities the center oers often include art classes, regular outings to dinner, going to a movie, museum trips, line dancing, playing games and going to local concerts in the area. For outings, the center is able to provide transportation to events but unable to provide transporta- tion to the center. Most activities are free for seniors, minus things such as movie tickets or lunches. The center is equipped with a kitchen that the seniors can cook in, a sports room to watch games in and a backyard space. With the center being closed for so long, Di Dio is hoping it will

The center reopened its doors in November after being closed due to the pandemic.

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Fussell Senior Citizen Center 5370 E. Fifth St., Katy Hours: Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m.-5 p.m., closed Sat.-Sun. 281-391-4837

www.cityoaty.com/government/ city-departments/senior-services

E. FIFTH ST.

DREXEL DR.

KATY EDITION • FEBRUARY 2022