Groton — The Groton Senior Center has a new name intended to better reflect what the town hopes people do when they visit the center: thrive.

"We're trying to help them accomplish this feeling that they're thriving," center supervisor Mary Jo Riley said.

The new name, Thrive55+ Active Living Center, which went into effect Jan. 1, comes with a new logo of an active person surrounded by the coastal colors of green and blue.

Riley said the rebranding may encourage more people — who may not feel the word "senior" applies to them — to visit the center and enjoy the activities it offers.

She said people frequently had the misperception that the senior center is a nursing home, rather than realizing what it is: a recreational center for older adults that branches into social and other services and helps people age in place in the community. She said people also may think of a senior center as a site simply for congregate meals and bingo and card games — a perception stemming from when senior centers started in the 1960s and '70s — but today's senior centers offer much more than that.

Across the country, other senior centers also are looking at rebranding, Riley said.

At the Groton center, the services for people 55 and older include "nutrition, health and recreational classes, special events and trips, transportation, information and referral services," according to a news release about the rebranding.

The center offers programs and activities to keep people active, such as yoga and tai chi, theater programs and trips to Europe, South Africa and locations across the United States, and has services, such as a technology center, Riley said. The center's staff members prepare meals that people can eat at the center or take out.

The center always is adding new offerings, such as scavenger hunts, started during the coronavirus pandemic, she said. The center has a Discover Connections program for people with dementia, and right before the pandemic started a program for caregivers and their family member.

In addition to activities for people 55 and over, the center also offers events for the entire community, such as its "Souper Bowl Saturday," a soup-tasting event, and Baker's Battle, a baking competition.

"We believe our new name, THRIVE55+, more accurately represents — and celebrates — our community, our services, and the active lifestyles of our membership," Mark Berry, the town's parks and recreation director, said in a statement.

Even though many people use the center, some older adults, especially some 55 to 70, do not think of using the center for anything, and the town wanted to find out why, Riley said.

In 2019, a study found the word "senior" was a barrier to people coming to the center.

Riley said she has heard comments from people, such as that they're 65 and they bike and go hiking and have time to do the things they like, now that their kids are grown, and do not see the word "senior" as part of their identity.

A second study was initiated to look at rebranding and possibly renaming the senior center, she said. A committee included both people who use the center and people who do not, she said. Miranda Creative Inc. of Norwich worked with the town through the process. Riley said the studies were paid for through the center's special revenue fund and not through the town's budget.

After considering about 12 or 15 different names, Thrive55+ ultimately was selected to represent the energy and dynamics of the center, Riley said.

She said some people may think aging has negative connotations, but there are many positive aspects, such as people may feel more free to do what they want to do, now that they finished raising their children and have grandchildren. Or, they may have never had children but now have more time in their retirement.

When Riley taught health at Three Rivers Community College, she covered a unit on aging. While her students often initially had negative images of aging, she challenged them to instead think of their parents and what they are doing. The idea was to remove ageism.

A goal of the center is to help people age successfully.

Riley said she has always looked up to seniors since she started working at the center in her 30s. She said seniors are an active part of the community and volunteer, run businesses and participate on municipal boards and commissions. "We want them to thrive," she said. "We want them to be able to continue to volunteer."

Riley also added that though the center is rebranding, the same staff and activities are continuing. To ease the transition, the new name will be accompanied by the words "Powered by the Groton Senior Center" for a period of time.

Linda Lemanski, who is president of Club 55, which is a service organization within the center, has attended events at the center, joined friends for lunch, taken classes and participated in learning opportunities and day trips.

"I see the name change as an invitation to everyone 55 or over to join us in a vibrant, active community," Lemanski said. "Those who already participate will be able to be acquainted with even more people."

k.drelich@theday.com