STUDY SESSION City Council
August 11, 2026
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Jeff Boynton, City Manager
ORIGINATED BY: Oliver Osuna, Community Services Director Lisa Montoya, Community Services Supervisor
SUBJECT: SENIOR PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES
BACKGROUND
The City of La Mirada provides a wide array of programs, activities and services for seniors that meet the recreational, health, and social needs of older adult residents.
Many of these programs are offered at the City’s Activity Center and Resource Center, which opened 25 years ago in March of 2001. Many thousands of older adult residents and visitors have benefited from the services offered at these facilities since their openings.
FINDINGS
Various programs and activities offered by the City are aimed at providing seniors with recreational and social opportunities that are essential to the older adult population living healthy, active lives, as well as allowing them to remain engaged in the community. These activities and programs are offered at various recreation facilities and range in subjects and areas of interest.
Well established collaborative partnerships with local colleges and universities have continued to remain important towards offering free educational classes and programs to the older adult population in La Mirada. The Ask the Nurse program, offered in partnership with Biola University, allows seniors to meet one-on-one with student interns enrolled in the university’s nursing program and receive health and wellness screenings on blood pressure, pulse, and weight along with information on healthy living. Student interns providing the screenings do so under the supervision of a clinical instructor. The Ask the Nurse program meets throughout the year on Wednesdays from 9 to 11:30 a.m.
On average, some 15 seniors meet with student interns weekly during the program hours.
Both Rio Hondo College and Cerritos College offer a variety of free classes at the Activity Center and Resource Center. These classes are mostly aimed at seniors, and course subjects focus on health and wellness. Course offerings include yoga, chair yoga, painting, chair exercise, Tai Chi, balance and mobility, and dance. These classes are very popular and often reach their maximum enrollment. In 2025, some 1,079 seniors were enrolled in 24 classes offered by Rio Hondo College and Cerritos College.
Senior Programs and Activities
Study Session Meeting of August 11, 2026
2 In addition to the classes offered by Rio Hondo College and Cerritos College, several other classes, activities, and drop-in programs aimed at older adults are offered by contract instructors or volunteers. Classes on arts and crafts, dance, quilting, selfdefense, chess, bingo, and mahjong are all offered at the Activity Center. Country Line Dancing is offered at the Resource Center in the morning twice a week with some 130 seniors taking part weekly in the class. Senior Hoops at the Community Gymnasium meets in the mornings three times a week and has an active membership of approximately 54 seniors. Staff-led water exercise classes are offered at Splash! throughout the week and offer low impact aerobic exercise opportunities for seniors.
Some 30 seniors participate daily in water exercise class.
One-day workshops and lectures on a variety of topics are also offered to educate and enrich the lives of older adults. These free workshops and lectures are offered in partnership with local organizations and businesses. Some of these workshops include veteran resources and assistance, driver safety courses provided by AARP, and memory care offered by Alzheimer’s Los Angeles. Workshops aimed at equipping seniors on how to identify and avoid various fraud scams are also offered throughout the year. Technology workshops are taught by SeniorTech volunteers and AARP Older Adults Technology Services. These workshops assist older adults with becoming familiar with new technology, such as smart phones and tablets, which are essential for keeping in touch with family. Some 438 seniors have participated in the 39 workshops offered thus far in 2026.
Several mini events offered throughout the year focus on providing local senior entertainment options. The All That Dance events are held quarterly and offer seniors time to socialize and be physically active as they dance to themed activities. In 2022, the hours of the All That Dance events were moved to an earlier start time of 2 to 5 p.m. and have resulted in improved attendance. Some 100 seniors on average participate in the dances. The annual Fall Festival coordinates with the congregate meal program adding live entertainment, games, crafts, and line dancing. The Country themed event typically draws approximately 115 participants. The Shake, Rattle, and Roll Dance is held in July in coordination with Parks and Recreation Month and is a celebration of the summer season. Participants enjoy live music, special treats, and more. The Shake, Rattle, and Roll Dance averages 122 participants.
Perhaps the largest event aimed at seniors offered by the City is the annual Community Health Information and Safety Fair. The Community Health Information and Safety Fair traditionally takes place in September. Several organizations are invited to this event to provide information on health and wellness, housing, transportation, education, and safety to our local older adult population. Some of the organizations who have participated in the past include St. Jude Medical Center, PIH Health, Alzheimer’s Los Angeles, AARP California, Interfaith Food Center, Meals on Wheels, Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, LA Metro, Access Services, and La Mirada Transit. One of the highlights of the event is the bone density screening.
Normally this screening is quite costly but is offered free of charge. Some 300 attendees participate in this annual event.
Senior Programs and Activities
Study Session Meeting of August 11, 2026
3 National Older Americans Month is held annually in the month of May recognizing older adults. Some of the workshops and activities celebrated included: floral arrangement, chess club, succulent workshop, and a topic on health, wellness, and wholeness workshop.
At the start of 2026, the Senior Excursions programs launched with a planned excursion to the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum. Leading up to the first excursion, the quarterly trips were a topic of discussion at multiple Senior Council meetings as members provided suggestions and input on the destinations of the outings. This new addition provides seniors with an opportunity to explore the region’s cultural and historical landmarks in the company of their peers. Other recent destinations included the Mission San Juan Capistrano and Aquarium of the Pacific.
Future planned excursions include a trip to Downtown Disney, the Gene Autry Museum, the Queen Mary and others. Transportation for each excursion is provided at no cost to participants through Proposition A Local Return funds. Any registration fees paid by the participant are for any venue admission cost paid upfront by the City when applicable.
Approximately 127 seniors attend the excursions.
In partnership with the Southeast Area Social Services Funding Authority (SASSFA), the City offers the Café on the Green senior nutrition program at the Activity Center weekdays at 11 a.m. The congregate lunch program, in addition to offering nutritionally balanced hot lunches to seniors, provides seniors with a place to socialize with others and catch-up on what is happening in the community. There is a suggested donation of $2.75 for the lunch and seniors are required to make a reservation at least 24-hours in advance. SASSFA also offers homebound seniors home-delivered meals. Seniors requiring a home-delivered meal are connected to SASSFA for this service. SASSFA served 22,833 meals in 2025 and anticipates serving more than 25,000 meals in 2026.
The Activity Center serves as the City’s senior center and central location for connecting seniors with information, educational material, and referrals to local and regional social service agencies. Information on caregiver and senior support services provided by SASSFA, as well as information on services provided by La Mirada Transit and Access Services, senior housing, Meals on Wheels, and veterans resources are also provided to seniors. In addition to providing information and referrals, the Activity Center offers drop-in billiards hours, space for card games and dominoes in the facility’s Game Room, and space for current events discussion groups and other informal social clubs.
La Mirada’s older adult residents are important members of the community. The City continues to offer a wide range of programs and activities at City facilities that support, engage, and enrich the lives of local seniors. Through these efforts, the City aims to help meet their social and recreational needs.
RECOMMENDED ACTION
It is recommended the City Council review and discuss the senior programs and activities.