SANDY For 83-year-old Alex Hoshovsky, the Sandy Senior Center is an important part of daily life.

A volunteer for nearly 12 years, Hoshovsky said he wanted to be useful and part of the community.

Sandy Senior Center Director Ken Donarski said retirement is often difficult for seniors.

People leave their jobs and find themselves without their former network of friends. Hoshovsky found himself asking the question, "What do I do now?"

"Once you are retired, there is basically a lack of purpose in life," he said.

For individuals like Hoshovsky, the Sandy Senior Center has become a valuable outlet for staying active and connecting with others. A joint effort between Sandy City and Salt Lake County Aging Services, the Sandy Senior Center offers lunch every day, organized classes, ranging from watercolor and sculpting to computers and Tai Chi, and games such as billiards and Wii.

One of the most important services the center provides is its noon meal.

Donarski said seniors often fall victim to poor nutrition.

"The meals that we serve are about one-third of your daily requirements and 800 calories," Donarski said. "Actually they're more than a third of your daily requirements because most seniors don't eat a well-balanced meal."

Each day, nearly 50 seniors take advantage of the lunch program, and the facility hosts about 170 people throughout the day. The senior center is open to those who are 60 and older and their spouses -- even if they are not 60 yet.

Although there are many activities at the center, Donarski is particularly excited about the addition of a Wii. In the few months since the center's acquiring the game system, Donarski has witnessed some exciting things.

"The dining room can be quiet, and then you put the Wii on, and you hear laughing and cheering," Donarski said.

He admits it takes seniors a while to get into the mind-set of playing a game that takes advantage of modern technology, but sees it as an invaluable opportunity for grandparents to use the Wii as a way to forge relationships with their tech-savvy grandkids.

"The grandchild doesn't necessarily give up on the grandparent," Donarski said. "I think it's a unique opportunity for the grandchild and grandparent to be doing something together."

In addition to the many activities seniors can get involved in, there are also plenty of opportunities to volunteer at the center. Highly dependent on volunteer staff, Donarski sees volunteerism as a means of keeping the elderly active and their minds sharp.

As much time as Hoshovsky spends at the senior center, he has had time to see the center's impact on the elderly.

He has seen those who have lost their spouse come to the center and achieve a new sense of life. Others find great satisfaction in being able to contribute to society by staying active and serving others.

Donarski has discovered that simply being able to share a story means the world to visitors at the center.

"It gives them the opportunity to tell about their life story that no one else has time to listen to," Donarski said. "It brings up different memories for them."

Being a Sandy resident is not required to attend center's activities. Donarski is pleased to meet seniors from across the valley. He has seen the difference it makes in people's lives and encourages everyone take part.

For Hoshovsky, being given an opportunity to stay active and get involved has made his life more fulfilling.

"The center is almost a little town by itself," he said. "It is a community full of interest and life. You can see I'm very enthusiastic about it. It's a good place for older people."