Meet Arielle Preciado, New Director of The Oakland Senior Center
This summer, the Oakland Senior Center got a new director, Arielle Preciado, who has embraced her role with an abundance of enthusiasm and ideas for exciting activities. The Senior Center, which is a borough organization, has served our residents – 55 years of age and up – since 1991. The borough website says: “The Senior Center…entitles every senior resident of the age of 55 and older who functions independently, or who has a companion to provide whatever individual assistance is needed, to participate in activities and programs at the Center. The Center is a welcoming establishment that offers a safe and orderly environment to all of those whom it serves. Programs and events are designed to provide fun, educational information, various levels of exercise, and social functions. The Center has set up an in-house library and also hosts a monthly book club.”
Oakland Borough Newsletter correspondent Terri Casaleggio recently visited the Center and interviewed Arielle Preciado.
Q -- How many members do you have?
A.-- I guess overall we have anywhere between 400 and 500 members. We don't see them all every day and every week. But throughout the year we see somewhere between four and 500.
Q -- What age is the oldest person who participates here?
A -- 103.
Q -- What appealed to you about this job?
A -- I always had a goal of working in the municipal-recreational-type field. Prior to this, immediately prior to this, I was working with a non-profit called Big Brother Big Sisters doing their events and fundraising.
And prior to that, more relevant experience, I was at the YMCA of Greater New York and I was doing programming for children from six months to seniors as old as 100.
Q -- So what would you say are the challenges that you have to meet every day in your job?
A -- My main role, in my opinion, is to be like a go-to person for our seniors in so many different ways, whether it's elhping them figure out where they can go to get stamps or figure out how they can do transportation because they no longer can drive. I help out with families, as well. I recently had phone calls from the children of some of the seniors in town asking help finding services for their parents and grandparents. And, then, just being somebody to talk to. We have some seniors who would not see anybody and this is their place to come and be social. And I sit and chat and get to know them, get to know what's going on in their life, did they have doctors' appointments, what's going on, feeling welcome. Also, knowing somebody is not here who normally is.
Q -- So you have to remember what they confide in you so you can pick up the threads of your conversations?
A -- Exactly. I have somebody who was out sick last week. I still didn't see them this week. I called and found out they had gone away [on vacation].
Q -- So far, how do you like your job?
A -- I love it. This place is amazing. Not only my role itself, but the residents I work with, people I work with, everyone who works in this community, municipality is wonderful.
Q -- So when you first took this job over did you have to make any changes or modifications as to how it is run?
A -- You know, when I start a new role, especially a role in a supervisory capacity, I like to see how things have run. You know, they say don't fix what's not broken. So I have only been here for two months. I have given it time to watch how things have run. My predecessor had been here 25 years, something like that. So everyone was kind of set in their ways. Now that I have been here a couple of months, I have already established some new programming I am looking to bring in in 2019. My first duty, my first thing I did was put together a trip right away because that is definitely a favorite of our members. And then justdoing research on what else is out there, seeing where we can go in the future, add a new fitness spot, a new trip. Even things like chocolate cake versus white cake. You know everyone's got favorites, suggestions. So I am trying to see how I can implement as many as I can.
Q -- What's the most important thing that you do that makes this center efficient and effective?
A -- I maintain a clear calendar and clear communication with our members. If something is to change, an instructor calls out for a reason, I make sure everyone knows as soon as possible. For example, we have recently had an event happen, something changed the schedule, so I ended up calling all of those who participated in this to make sure they were aware of it. You know, it's tough for some members to come out. And I love that they do. I don't want to make them come out here unnecessarily.
Q -- How has technology over the years impacted your work Has it made things easier, more difficult?
A -- Actually, I think this is interesting as to where I am. In the past I worked with children and family, a younger generation, so technology was prevalent in what I did. I used a lot of social media, a lot of email. But now I am finding I have to go back, I guess, to the roots of technology. I use a lot more fliers, more calls and less use of social media and information because the population I work with does not use it. I have to meet people where they are at, so I have changed the type of technology I have used in the past.
Q -- What is it about you that makes you a successful communicator?
A -- I think of myself as being the person to go out there. And engaging in communication could definitely be part of it. I just like to start conversations, especially those who are, you know, sitting by themselves. I like to make sure everybody feels welcome.
Q -- What would you want the public to know about this job?
A -- That it is a wonderful job and everybody I work with is wonderful. You know a lot of people, when they think seniors, they think more of like a live-in kind of community. But that's not what this place is. These are very active older adults. It's an active adult community in a sense. Everyone from our 55-year-old who is doing Zumba to our 103-year-old who is playing cards and Bingo are very, very active.
Q -- What's the funniest thing a member of the public ever asked of you or requested from you?
A -- You know one day I will have one person tell me how wonderful the chocolate cake is and we should have chocolate cake every day, and the next day somebody comes in, you know, I really like that fruit pie you had last week. Maybe you should do more fruit pies. That's what happens when you work with people; everyone has their own opinions and tastes. And that's what makes it such a colorful community in a great way.
Q -- What do you find are the most endearing qualities of the Town of Oakland?
A --This is part of a question I received in my interview, what I knew about Oakland, when I was looking to come into this position. One of the things is I noticed is that everybody kind of knows and cares about each other. I mean, truly everyone. My answer to this question, I guess, when I interviewed, was that I had noticed that everybody knew everybody's name, sort of like you see on TV (the show "Cheers"), the place where everyone knows your name. But everyone cares.
The other day I had somebody come in and tell me somebody wasn't feeling well, so they may not be coming in for a specific program that they usually come in for. And then I had like six other people come and tell me the same thing because everybody really cares about everybody.
Q -- Is there a member's fee?
A -- No, the only thing you need is to be a resident of Oakland and 55 years or older. And everybody is encouraged to try at least one program at least one time. You may find something you love or new friends.