Dabaja.

DEARBORN – In collaboration with The Arab American News, City Council President Susan Dabaja will be using our newspaper to convey beneficial information to the community on a monthly basis. 

Dabaja, who has been running bi-weekly city council meetings since the beginning of the year as part of her elected duties, expressed interest in conducting a monthly outreach platform with TAAN as a means to broadcast the many services and resources offered by the city that could be useful to residents. The goal of the outreach will be to educate residents, increase awareness and address concerns that she hears from residents on a daily basis. 

“I strongly believe it is my responsibility as a public servant to ensure that the residents of Dearborn are well informed of the numerous services our city offers and the local laws that affect our daily lives. Maintaining the lines of communication between city government and its resident is essential in order to ensure the best quality of life in Dearborn,” Dabaja says

The Ford Community & Performing Arts Center, located at 15801 Michigan Ave., houses the Dearborn Senior Center that is operated by the city’s Recreation & Parks Department. It provides programs and activities in the areas of health, education, travel and entertainment. 

Often times, senior citizens may have trouble finding safe and consistent transportation if they want to run daily errands. The Senior Services Center offers a daily SMART bus and van service that will pick up residents at the curb of their home for only $2.00 to take a round trip to whereever they may desire, as long as it is within city limits. 

Seniors ages 60 years and over are able to take advantage of the service if they need to go to the doctor, grocery shopping or even for a hair appointment. The transportation service also allows the senior to bring along one caregiver, if it is a necessity, for the same price, as long as the caregiver is 18 years of age or older. Residents are required to place an appointment for a bus pickup a minimum of four days in advance.

With five passenger vans that can accompany up to seven people, and one bus that can accompany up to 11 passengers, the transportation service will go anywhere within city limits Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Banking and drug store days are allocated for Tuesdays, while grocery shopping days are allocated for Thursdays. Seniors must be able to carry what they purchase. 

To schedule a ride or learn more information about senior citizen transportation, residents can call 313.943.4083.

The city also offers a Tele-Care hotline free of charge to elderly citizens that may not have the comfort of being in the care of family or friends on a daily basis. Offered Monday-Friday, an operator can call a senior resident daily to check-in on his or her well-being, whether for temporary or long-term support. These phone calls are made by both English-speaking and Arabic-speaking employees and volunteers. 

“This type of service is wonderful for adults who no longer live with their parents or reside in a different state but have concerns for their well-being. They can contact senior services and have it arranged where their parent is receiving a friendly phone call,” Dabaja said. 

For more information on the Tele-Care service, residents can call 313.943.2412.

Other services offered to senior citizens often differ depending on the time of the year. Currently, the center is offering free tax preparation for senior citizens up until April 11. Residents must have a low to moderate income in order to qualify for the service, offered Tuesdays-Fridays. The service is based on a first come, first serve basis. 

Health and fitness is another major area of concentration for the Dearborn Senior Center. Programs that offer residents swimming classes, chair yoga, and other forms of exercises are available on a weekly basis. The center also participates in senior Olympics in partnership with Wayne County for the Western Wayne County Senior Olympics. 

The center also hosts special educational seminars on a monthly basis. For the month of March, residents can attend a Fraud & Identity theft prevention seminar on Thursday, March 20 at 10:30 a.m. State Representative George T. Darany also conducts monthly sessions at the center to hear concerns from residents and educate them on new laws. His next appearance is scheduled for Friday, March 28 at 11 a.m. 

Also offered are a variety of entertainment services, including bingo, picnics and holiday gatherings. A great way to travel to new places, whether for one-day trips or extended trips, is to book affordable getaways through the Dearborn Travel Club.  A future destination includes a grand nine-day vacation to Big Bend National Park in Texas this April for only $2,409. It is also a great way to meet new people from the community. 

In a collaborative effort with the 19th District Court, the Dearborn Senior Service Center also offers snow removal services for seniors who are physically incapable of shoveling snow on their property. In order for a resident to qualify, he or she must complete paperwork and speak with Deputy Court Administrator Ted Villemaire at 313.943.2070. Once a resident makes the list, he or she will automatically be placed on the list again in following years. 

The center also works with Wayne County and the Senior Alliance Program to deliver Meals on Wheels to seniors at their doorsteps. Currently, the city is short-staffed on drivers and is looking for qualified individuals. Those who are interested can contact Georgianna Hughes at 313.943.2009.

While senior citizen services have been offered in the city for years now, Dabaja says she would like to see more community members take advantage of these services in the future. The center also offers a bilingual coordinator for Arabic speaking residents. Those residents can contact Hasna Muthana at 313.943.2783.

“The Dearborn Senior Services Center is a hidden gem in our city. There are many residents in the Dearborn community that are not aware of the valuable and resourceful services that are being offered to our seniors ages 60 and older,” Dabaja adds.  “A lot of our seniors simply cannot afford to do this stuff on their own. These activities, seminars and services are also beneficial to those seniors who don’t necessarily want to rely on their adult children and would like to continue their independence.” 

For more detailed information on the Dearborn Senior Services Center, visit://dearbornfordcenter.com/seni