Welcome
Graceland Center is a fresh approach to enhancing your next chapter! We invite all older adults to join us as we continue to gracefully grow in health, mind & spirit every day!
Mission
The mission of the Graceland Center for Purposeful Aging is to enhance the lives of older adults in the Peoria area.
Our Approach.
Inspired by Mather Centers in Chicago, the Graceland Center seeks to serve older adults who desire to live happily, productively, and economically in their communities. GCPA will provide an environment where older adults find resources, opportunity and support for staying connected to and involved with their community, where they are recognized for the individuals they are rather than the age segment they belong to and where they can continue to grow in health, mind and spirit.
Connection.
Graceland seeks to connect you to resources at your fingertips! Aging gracefully creates multiple opportunities for you to connect with agencies with information to help you in ways you have never imagined! From lists of local agencies and contacts to international organizations, we aim to explore with you the ever expanding global community we are part of! Connect with us too when you find something you think others may enjoy or need to know! We are all better, together!
Education.
We are always learning! No matter what our age, our world continues to change, new discoveries are made in every area of interest from art, history, health, science, technology. As Graceland opens, education topics and events will be hosted at our location that YOU are interested in! We will also link you to places available for you to learn locally and on line. Until we are all able to meed in person again, click on these links to find topics and grow your understanding and interests!
Innovation.
The 21st Century Older adults are a new breed of senior citizens. These generations have learned to adapt and grow with technology since birth! And why stop now? Innovative ways to create living spaces so that older adults can stay in their home longer and safely are among the leading devices currently being created! Graceland seeks to keep pace with what is happening locally, in Illinois, in the country and internationally so that YOU will benefit! Ideas are the seeds of new developments! Together we will contribute to the innovation wave in Peoria so we will all age more gracefully!
Purpose.
The purpose of GCPA is to promote continued vitality and dignity for older adults in a way that goes beyond the usual reach, specifically...
to increase partnership, visibility and service reach with the community
to attract the active older adult—active in outlook, attitude and years—and to attract those who would benefit from but seldom consider using “senior” services
to improve quality of life of older adult customers with programs aimed to help them to stay healthy, to stay engaged, to be renewed, to be independent.
to increase satisfaction with services offered to older adults
Outcomes.
Participants of Graceland will report improved physical, mental and emotional health to GCPA staff
Graceland participants will express reduced problems and a higher satisfaction of accessing community resources for older adults
Participants of GCPA will demonstrate a continual increase in attendance of programs, will provide feedback for programming of interest, and rate these programs as positively impacting their overall wellbeing.
Longitudinally, GCPA participants will report an overall ability to remain living in their homes for a longer period of time than they originally thought possible due to the connections to resources through GCPA and their improved mental, physical and spiritual health.