Healthy Aging
Programs Help Mother Prescott Stay Active at 100
At age 100, Odessa Prescott has done a lot of living. The mother of 12 children was born in the country outside Marlin, Texas, and was married to her late husband Joe Willie Prescott for 75 years. “Mother Prescott”—that’s what most people call her—chopped cotton and milked cows during the earlier part of her life. She has lived in Fort Worth since 1955, where today Senior Citizen Services, United Way and its Area Agency on Aging help her stay healthy and active.
Mother Prescott is a regular at Senior Citizen Services’ Como Senior Center, where she completed “A Matter of Balance,” an 8-session class that helps people prevent falls. “A Matter of Balance” is supported by funds from the Area Agency on Aging.
“It helped me a whole lot,” said Mother Prescott. Among the things she learned:
• “Get a flashlight to have during a blackout.”
• “Don’t rush to go to the bathroom because you may fall. Take your time.”
• “Don’t have throw rugs in the way because you’ll catch your foot on them.”
At the Como Center Mother Prescott can be found joining other older adults in 30 minutes of exercise that develops and maintains the body’s range of motion. Done mostly while sitting in a chair, the regimen begins with deep breathing and ends with giving yourself a hug.
In-between there’s a whole lot of stretches, shoulder rolls, knee raises, rowing motions and marching in place. After the chair exercises, Mother Prescott and the others enjoy lunch together at the center. The exercise program and the Senior Citizen Services lunch program both benefit from the annual United Way campaign.
Healthy aging and independent living for older adults is one United Way’s main concerns. For more information about the programs of Senior Citizen Services, call 817-413-4949. For information about other services for older adults, people with disabilities and their caregivers, dial 2-1-1, United Way’s free information and referral service; or call the Aging and Disability Resource Center of Tarrant County at 1-888-730-2372.
Our Vision
Tarrant County will be a place where children, individuals and families thrive, where neighbors care for each other and where people willingly share the responsibility of ensuring a safe and healthy community for all.
Our Mission
To improve lives across our diverse communities by:
- Prioritizing needs in education, income and health
- Forming innovative and effective partnerships with other organizations
- Strategically raising and investing resources to make lasting change
Our Diversity Statement
United Way of Tarrant County values and seeks diversity by respecting the knowledge, abilities and experience of all individuals. Our commitment is to support an inclusive environment reflecting our United Way communities and accomplishing our mission.
