About the Marshfield Senior Center 

The first stand-alone Senior Center location at 230 Webster St. opened on October 13, 2003. Then In 2022 there was a building expansion project that doubled the size of the original facility. Its’ central function is to provide a home for the Council on Aging (COA), the town’s primary human service department. The COA provides and coordinates services to the senior community assisting individuals to live with dignity, independence and to enhance their quality of life.   

The Senior Center is a community focal point for adults aged 60 and over to come together and seek out opportunities. The Center provides various spaces such as a Library, Technology Room,   Café, Congregate Dining, a Media Room, a Gym, Dance Studio, a Salon, a Health Room, two Art Studios, Meeting Rooms and various other Classrooms. These areas create the ability for people to connect and engage with one another through recreational and social activities such as congregate meals, cards, pool, ping pong, discussion groups and others.

There are stimulating activities to exercise the body and the mind. The COA also offers a fitness room with equipment along with physical exercise classes daily ranging from tai chi, Pilates, balance and strength, dance, Zumba, yoga to Essentrics along with a weekly walking group. The outdoor recreation area offers pickle ball and bocce courts, ping pong tables, walking trails and a track along with exercise equipment. If it is a little pampering you are looking for, the Center offers manicures/pedicures, Reiki, hair care and meditation. Health screenings, an annual health fair and education also support staying healthy. 

Educational opportunities include Lifelong Learning offered three times a year featuring history, music, cultural offerings as well as regular presentations by Mass Audubon, an Antique Slide Shows, technology educators, musicians and a Triad Group that provides programs on crime prevention, health and safety to name just a few. Arts and crafts are a regular offering and always popular at the Center. There are weekly groups that paint together, some with and some without instruction. Craft classes include knitting & crocheting, rug hooking, woodcarving and seasonal offerings such as felting, ceramics, flower arranging and bow and wreath making. In depth discussion groups such as great decisions are periodically offered along with other learning such as Spanish classes and poetry readings. 

The Center also provides important volunteer opportunities that allow people to share their talents and help others. In fiscal year 2024, there were 154 volunteers that provided 20,555 hours of service which was significantly higher than the prior year. We depend heavily on this important contribution from volunteers which augments and assists our professional staff on a daily basis.

But there is more than just fun and games at the Senior Center. The staff work to help seniors navigate all stages of aging from retirement planning to living independently as one ages. Offerings include professional counseling for health insurance - (SHINE),  financial planning, real estate, income tax preparation and legal advice. Our Social Service Coordinators work with individuals and their families to provide information, in-home support and referrals for housing, property tax exemptions, abatements and deferrals, energy and food assistance and caregiver support.     

The Center also addresses the nutrition and transportation needs of seniors by providing a congregate hot lunch program, box lunches, Meals on Wheels, volunteer food shoppers, and the Seaflower Café. The COA shuttle provides transportation around town for food shopping, the food pantry, medical appointments, pharmacy visits, hair dressers and the Senior Center. Volunteers are also available to transport seniors to out of town medical appointments. 

The COA was proud to be an accredited Senior Center in 2019 which demonstrates standards of excellence in its delivery of services and programs. In addition, the Marshfield Senior Center was deemed an emerging “Age and Dementia Friendly Community” by AARP in 2018. More recently we received approval of our Age and Dementia Friendly Action Plan (ADF) from AARP. in 2025.  These initiatives will continue to evolve as the Action Plan is implemented over the next several years.   One ADF example is our Social Day Care Program that was expanded to three days per week and provides specialized programming for those with Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders. A second example is adding a Dementia Specialist who offers monthly office hours to share resources and support to caregivers.

There is something for everyone at the Marshfield Senior Center!