Located near the heart of the Bull City, the Durham Center for Senior Living (DCSL) provides the 55+ senior community with access to free services, resources, classes, and events that promote a healthy, active, and independent lifestyle.

Since 1949, they have operated as a non-profit organization and, as Seanyea Rains, executive director of the DCSL, explained to Enlace Latino NC They have evolved over the decades, but their mission remains the same.

“Our overall mission is to enrich the lives of older adults by promoting healthy lifestyles"Active and independent. To that end, we offer a wide variety of activities, such as exercise classes, dance classes, and classes related to culture," said Rains.

Each day, DCSL serves more than 200 senior citizens through its programs, services, classes, and events, all of which are free.

“Everyone is welcome”: a community based on a sense of belonging

Among its three core values ​​is welcoming and respecting the diversity of voices, backgrounds and needs, while working to ensure that older people feel a sense of belonging in their community.

For Rains, one of the things that distinguishes the DCSL is that it is an organization where everyone is welcome.

“We are an agency that fosters a sense of belonging. If you are 55 or older, you are welcome here. We don't care about your political opinions, your race, or your sexual orientation. We simply want you to be here if you are 55,” he said.

Given the presence of ICE in some communities in North Carolina and the potential fear this could generate among older adults regarding their participation in health and wellness programs, Enlace Latino NC  He asked the DCSL if they request information about the immigration status of participants.

“Know that this is a safe space; a safe and welcoming space for everyone. We don’t check your immigration status. That doesn’t matter to us. As long as you are 55 or older, you are welcome to come and enjoy the services,” explained Neuvia Wallace-Davis, DCSL’s Director of Development and Communications. Enlace Latino NC.  

What activities and services do they offer?

They offer a wide variety of activities: exercise classes, dance classes, culture-related classes (such as French and Spanish classes), technology classes, among others.

“We’ve partnered with Google to teach classes and have organized intergenerational technology courses. The Kramden Institute has also provided instruction, and we have volunteers who previously worked in this field and now teach their peers on topics ranging from using barcodes to online dating,” Rains added.

They also have support groups and support services.

Among the support groups they offer are: “Aging with Pride,” a support group for caregivers, and a group for military veterans. Regarding support services, they offer a community meals program and a food bank, as part of the DCSL EATS program.

“Many older adults live with fixed income“That’s why some are forced to choose between buying their medications or the food they will consume during the month. Thanks to various partnerships, we can transform our space into a market for products; thus, one day a month, seniors can come to do their shopping according to their family’s needs,” Rains explained.

As for the community meal program, it offers hot meals prepared by a nutritionist. According to Rains, this provides an opportunity for socializing.

“We do this because we know that isolation is the main factor that can lead to a decline in the health of older adults. That's why we strive to promote social interaction, helping older adults stay mentally active and moving,” Rains commented.

To see the complete list of weekly classes, Visit the DCSL website.

Celebrating cultural diversity

Beyond offering Spanish classes, DSCL has two initiatives that celebrate cultural diversity. Rains explained that they changed their walls to display information in both English and Spanish.

“We changed our walls, English and Spanish, because we understand that people come to this center from all cultures and we are trying to broaden our reach to show that everyone is welcome,” Rains said.

They also have a Hispanic Heritage Group that meets every Wednesday from 10 am to 2 pm. Reigns remembers when the club consisted of just five people, while now between 20 and 25 attend.

In this way, the DCSL recognizes the diverse cultures of its participants, creating an environment that functions as a home for them.

“This is a second home for many people. I think that when people walk through the door, they sense that atmosphere, and that’s why they come here,” Rains concluded.

Republish This Story

Republish our stories for free on your website or newspaper. We follow the Creative Commons license. Click the box and follow the instructions.

close window

Republish this article

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

"This article may be republished for free under the Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Enlace Latino NC authorizes the reproduction of this content in newspapers and digital platforms, provided that the integrity of the text is maintained and that it is cited Enlace Latino NC and the author of the story to be republished as the primary source. If you publish the story in a digital news outlet or website, you must include a link to our website: www.enlacelatinonc.org

If you wish to make edits to the content to be republished, please contact our editorial team at walter@enlacelatinonc.org to obtain the corresponding permit."

Seniors find a safe and belonging space in Durham

by Emilia Rivadeneira, Enlace Latino NC
August 17, 2026

Enlace Latino NC August 17, 2026 Located near the heart of the Bull City, the Durham Center for Senior Living (DCSL) provides the 55+ senior community with access to free services, resources, classes, and events that promote a healthy, active, and independent lifestyle. Since 1949, they have operated as a non-profit organization and, as Seanyea Rains, executive director of the DCSL, explained to Enlace Latino NCThey have evolved over the decades, but their mission remains the same. "Our overall mission is to enrich the lives of older adults by promoting healthy, active, and independent lifestyles . To that end, we offer a wide variety of activities, including exercise classes, dance classes, and culturally related classes," said Rains. Each day, DCSL serves more than 200 senior citizens through its programs, services, classes, and events, all of which are free. Recently, the DCSL changed its walls to display information about its facilities in both English and Spanish./Emilia Rivadeneira, ELNC "Everyone is welcome": a community based on a sense of belonging Among its three core values ​​is welcoming and respecting the diversity of voices, backgrounds and needs, while working to ensure that older people feel a sense of belonging in their community. For Rains, one of the things that distinguishes the DCSL is that it is an organization where everyone is welcome. "We're an agency that fosters a sense of belonging. If you're 55 or older, you're welcome here. We don't care about your political opinions, your race, or your sexual orientation. We just want you here if you're 55," he said. Given the presence of ICE in some North Carolina communities and the potential fear this could generate among older adults regarding their participation in health and wellness programs, Enlace Latino NCHe asked the DCSL if they request information about the immigration status of participants. "Know that this is a safe space; a safe and welcoming space for everyone. We don't check your immigration status. That doesn't matter to us. As long as you are 55 or older, you are welcome to come and enjoy the services," explained Neuvia Wallace-Davis, DCSL's Director of Development and Communications. Enlace Latino NC. What activities and services do they offer? Durham Center for Senior Living 🕒 Schedule: Monday, Wednesday and Friday: 8:30 am at 5 pm Tuesdays and Thursdays: 8:30 am at 7 pm Saturdays and Sundays: Closed 📍 Address: 406 Rigsbee Ave., Suite 202 Durham, NC 27701 They offer a wide variety of activities: exercise classes, dance classes, culture-related classes (such as French and Spanish classes), technology classes, among others. "We have partnered with Google to teach classes and have organized intergenerational technology courses." "The Kramden Institute has come to give classes, and we also have volunteers who worked in this field and now teach their colleagues about topics ranging from the use of barcodes to online appointments," Rains added. They also have support groups and support services. Among the support groups they offer are: "Aging with Pride," a support group for caregivers, and a group for military veterans. As for support services, they offer a community meal program and a food bank, as part of the DCSL EATS program. "Many older adults live on fixed incomes ; therefore, some are forced to choose between buying their medications or the food they will consume during the month. "Thanks to various partnerships, we can transform our space into a product market; thus, one day a month, senior citizens can come and shop according to their family's needs," Rains explained. As for the community meal program, it offers hot meals prepared by a nutritionist. In this way, according to Rains, it provides an opportunity to socialize. "We do this because we know that isolation is the main factor that can cause a deterioration in the health of older adults. "That's why we strive to promote social interaction, helping older adults stay mentally active and moving," Rains commented. To see the complete list of weekly classes, please visit the DCSL website. One of the rooms at the DCSL facilities where support groups meet./Emilia Rivadeneira, ELNC Caring for older adults can also present a challenge for their families and, especially, for those who take on the role of caregivers. Read: Casa Abuelita, a space of support and respite for Latina caregivers in North Carolina . Celebrating cultural diversity Beyond offering Spanish classes, the DSCL presents two initiatives that celebrate cultural diversity. Rains explained that they changed their walls to display information in their facilities in both English and Spanish. "We changed our walls, English and Spanish, because we understand that people come to this center from all cultures and we are trying to broaden our reach to show that everyone is welcome," Rains said. class="wp-image-148362" /> A sign that says "Rest Room" in both English and Spanish. Most of the signs on the walls are in both languages./Emilia Rivadeneira, ELNC They also have a Hispanic Heritage Group that meets every Wednesday at 10 am at 2 p.m. Reigns recalls when the club consisted of just five people, while now between 20 and 25 attend. In this way, the DCSL recognizes the diverse cultures of its participants, creating an environment that functions as a home for them. "This is a second home for many people." "I think that when people walk through the door, they sense that atmosphere, and that's why they come here," Rains concluded. This <a target="_blank" href="https://enlacelatinonc.org/adultos-mayores-encuentran-un-espacio-seguro-y-de-pertenencia-en-durham/">article</a> first appeared on <a target="_blank" href="https://enlacelatinonc.org">Enlace Latino NCand is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. PARSELY = { autotrack: false, onload: function() { PARSELY.beacon.trackPageView({ url: "https://enlacelatinonc.org/adultos-mayores-encuentran-un-espacio-seguro-y-de-pertenencia-en-durham/", urlref: window.location.href }); } }

Copy to clipboard