The photo exhibition focused on Communication Centers for Seniors ran by the Social Fund of the Russian Federation, concluded in the Federation Council. The exhibition, opened on the International Day of Elderly Persons, clearly demonstrated active lifestyles of the center visitors from different Russian regions.
In three years of their operation, the centers become a staple of the country social infrastructure. According to Sergey Chirkov, Chairman of the Social Fund of Russia:
"The stats are impressive: 140,000 events, 1.3 million participants, over 900 centers all over the country. But what we care about is not numbers, but changing the quality of life of the elderly, giving them energy and a drive to actively engage with the social life. There, they get new hobbies, master digital technologies, make art and do sports. That is why we will keep developing our network of centers across the country."
The exhibition offered a peek inside the centers' everyday life, showing senior as they make art, engage in sports competitions, dance and perform on stage. But recreation is just one facet of the centers' operations. The Social Fund insists that their venues open up new opportunities for personal fulfilment, hosting public talks and training programs, financial and digital literacy courses.
The centers became advisory points where legal professionals, pension experts and psychologists help people resolve their legal and social issues. Their visitors are also actively involved in the volunteer work and support for the servicemen participating in the special military operation: making camouflage nets and bunker candles, knitting warm clothing.
According to the project supporter, Senator Galina Karelova: "The exhibition clearly demonstrates the operation of communication centers for seniors and their popularity. The launch of those centers is a new area of the Elderly Generation federal project; it develops quickly and successfully, including in remote and isolated regions".
Communication centers keep expanding their operations, demonstrating new work formats and reaffirming their status as a nation-wide social project. Their event programs are being adjusted constantly in response to visitor feedback.
"People are key. Our goal is to make it so that elderly people, no matter where they live, could come to a communication center, feel wanted and welcome, get their life experiences appreciated and enjoy an active life," Sergey Chirkov emphasized