Retirement
When people dream of retirement, they often envision a comfortable home in a warm, dry climate, a region with plenty of social, recreational, and cultural opportunities, excellent health care, friendly people, and inspirational scenery. Santa Barbara, by all accounts, matches this dream. For more than a century, countless seniors and younger retirees from around the United States and the world have packed their belongings and moved to Santa Barbara. In this chapter, we focus on seniors, since they comprise the majority of retired folk in Santa Barbara.
The over-60 crowd makes its presence known everywhere. They play a major role in politics, the arts and culture scene, and adult education classes. Senior volunteers serve as docents at the museums, the zoo, the botanic garden, and other attractions; as helpers at our numerous service agencies; as tutors, teachers, guides, and mentors to younger Santa Barbarans. Our seniors also tend to stay active as long as possible. Folks from age 60 to 100 regularly attend fitness classes—it’s not unusual to see a grandmother “crunching abs” right next to a 20-year-old. They walk, jog, play tennis and golf, attend concerts, travel, study, and read.
When seniors are no longer able to venture out as much as they’d like, Santa Barbara makes great efforts to bring services and activities to senior residences throughout the community.
Overview
Sound perfect? Well, there’s one catch. As we’ve mentioned elsewhere in this book, the cost of living here is exorbitant. In fact, it’s virtually impossible to live here on Social Security alone, and seniors with limited incomes find it extremely difficult to meet the costs of daily life. Housing and services for lower-income seniors have limited availability and long waiting lists.
Affordability aside, Santa Barbara offers many advantages for retired residents. In this chapter we give you a sampling of our services and programs for seniors—with a special focus on those that can help stretch limited dollars.
We start with any general information resources; then move on to senior centers; ways to nourish the body and mind; recreation; employment and volunteer opportunities; retirement communities; and housing.
1. Goleta Senior Center
City: Santa Barbara, CA
Category: Retirement
Telephone: (805) 683-1124
Address: 5679 Hollister Ave.
2. American Association of Retired Persons (AARP)
City: Santa Barbara, CA
Category: Retirement
Telephone: (916) 448-3614, regional headq
Address: 333 Old Mill Rd., #263
Description: AARP is the nation’s leading organization for people age 50 and older. AARP’s motto, “The power to make it better,” reflects its commitment to preserving the independence and autonomy of all older persons. It serves the needs of seniors through advocacy, research, and consumer information. An extensive network of local chapters and volunteers provides educational programs and community services for our nation’s older population. Local Santa Barbara Chapter #72 holds meetings the first Mon of each month at 1:15 p.m. at 1232 De la Vina St., Santa Barbara.
City: Santa Barbara, CA
Category: Retirement
Address: 528 S. Broadway
4. Family Service Agency Senior Outreach Program
City: Santa Barbara, CA
Category: Retirement
Telephone: (805) 965-1001
Address: 123 W. Gutierrez St.
Description: FSA is Santa Barbara County’s oldest nonprofit human service agency. If you’re older than 60 and live in Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, or Goleta, FSA will send a professional counselor to your home to assess your needs. Then it will connect you with the appropriate community resources. FSA will also provide individual, group, and family counseling if you so desire.
5. Carrillo Recreation Center
City: Santa Barbara, CA
Category: Retirement
Telephone: (805) 897-2519
Address: 100 E. Carrillo St.
Description: Active seniors love the Carrillo Recreation Center, with its Active Adult classes of stretch-and-tone and Jazzercise. Known for its spring-loaded dance floors, this center bursts with all kinds of dance classes for adults, including tap, salsa, folk, and tango. The Carrillo Street Gym next door offers table tennis and weight conditioning.
6. Louise Lowry Davis Recreation Center
City: Santa Barbara, CA
Category: Retirement
Telephone: (805) 897-2568
Address: 1232 De la Vina St.
Description: The Louise Lowry Davis Recreation Center is one of the most popular senior centers in the city. Located downtown on the corner of De la Vina and Sola Streets, the center serves as headquarters for the Senior Citizens Information Service. On fair-weather days, you can always see groups of smiling, laughing seniors bowling on the adjacent lawns. You can walk in and join various activities (e.g., chess and bridge) or sign up for weekday recreation programs. The center has a kitchen area, serving area, meeting rooms, restrooms, and on-site parking.
7. Meals-on-Wheels
City: Santa Barbara, CA
Category: Retirement
Telephone: (805) 683-1565
Description: Meals-on-Wheels delivers hot midday meals to homebound seniors every day year-round, including holidays. They charge a modest fee for each meal—call between 9 a.m. and noon for more information.
8. Senior Brown Bag Program
City: Santa Barbara, CA
Category: Retirement
Telephone: (805) 967-5741
Address: 4554 Hollister Ave.
Description: A project of the Santa Barbara County Food Bank, Brown Bag distributes market-size bags of groceries twice a month to six different sites in Santa Barbara, Goleta, and Carpinteria. The bags are meant to supplement seniors’ grocery shopping and include a variety of food items, including produce and bread. To be eligible for this free program, you must be 60 or older, have a limited income, and be in an independent-living situation. Singles or couples may apply.
9. Presidio Springs
City: Santa Barbara, CA
Category: Retirement
Address: 721 Laguna St.
Description: Santa Barbara’s recreational opportunities are available to active people of every age. Many facilities offer senior discounts—be sure to ask whenever you inquire about information or pay fees.
10. Senior Recreation Services Club/Active Adults Program
City: Santa Barbara, CA
Category: Retirement
Telephone: (805) 897-2519, (805) 965-3813
Address: 100 E. Carrillo St.
Description: If you’re 50 years of age or older, you can join the Active Adults Program for only $41 a year ($45 nonresident). Club members are eligible for free or low-cost fees to a range of fitness and personal-enrichment classes. Fitness activities include yoga, badminton, table tennis, various exercise classes, t’ai chi, Dancercise, slow-pitch softball, lawn bowling, and horseshoes. The stretch-and-tone class is particularly popular. Personal enrichment classes and social events include dances, bingo, movie days, social luncheons, language classes, ceramics and painting classes, support groups, chess, and bridge games. Most fitness activities take place at the Carrillo Recreation Center, 100 E. Carrillo St., and Louise Lowry Davis Center, 1232 De la Vina St.
City: Santa Barbara, CA
Category: Retirement
12. Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) Santa Barbara
City: Santa Barbara, CA
Category: Retirement
Telephone: (805) 963-0474
Address: 35 W. Victoria St.
Description: RSVP places seniors in volunteer positions at schools, hospitals, service agencies, senior centers, and other senior programs.
City: Santa Barbara, CA
Category: Retirement
Address: 900 Calle de Los Amigos
City: Santa Barbara, CA
Category: Retirement
Address: 227 E. Anapamu St.
City: Santa Barbara, CA
Category: Retirement
Address: 3775 Modoc Rd.