Zumba, looming winter weather, and busy, busy seniors are all on Heather Sylvia's mind as she plans for the future at the Council on Aging.

Sylvia took over as head of the senior center following Debra Raymond’s departure about a month ago. The biggest challenge so far, she said, has been remembering all the new names.

Sylvia previously worked at two other Council on Aging facilities — in New Bedford for two years and in Acushnet for the past six years. She said that, because Acushnet has a population of about 10,000, the new job in Dartmouth would give her an opportunity to expand her skill set at a larger facility.

Since taking the job, she’s noticed that mornings are a lot busier than afternoons at Dartmouth’s senior center.

“We’re working on that. We’re starting an after-hours Zumba class in October from 4 to 5 p.m. It’s for those seniors who are still working, volunteering [or] babysitting,” said Sylvia.

“I think you’ll be seeing a lot of more after-hours activities,” she added.

She also aims to include more intergenerational programs, whether it’s for senior’s children or grandchildren.

“I think the biggest challenge right now is the ‘sandwich generation,’ where you have an older adult that still has kids at home and they’re also caring for mom and dad. They don’t have time to find resources,” said Sylvia.

“We want to make ourselves a one-stop shopping center for those people. They can come in, do an activity, get information for mom and dad while they’re here and find out what’s available for them,” she said.

The center currently has support groups for those caring for someone with Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease. She said those support groups provide the caregiver with an avenue to acquire resources and have breaks from the rigors of being a care provider.

“What happens is the caregiver ends up passing or becoming ill before the person they’re caring for. They’re just so burned out,” she said. “It’s becoming an issue. We’re seeing it in all communities now.”

She would also like to see more opportunities for grandparents to bring their grandkids to the center. That could take the form of an all-ages Halloween party or collaborating with the library for a story time hour at the Council on Aging.

As the winter months approach, Sylvia is also keeping an eye on emergency management. She said that when there’s a weather emergency in Dartmouth, the senior center becomes a shelter for up to 100 residents. If more than 100 people are seeking refuge, the high school becomes the shelter.

During an emergency, the entire senior center offers cots and meals. People can also shelter their pets so long as the resident intends on spending the night as well. Sylvia said that, during her time as the director of Acushnet’s Council on Aging, she spent several nights in the town’s senior center during blizzards.

“What we ask is that, if people come to the shelter, they bring supplies for 48 hours. They don’t have to bring their own food, we provide that,” said Sylvia.

Other important items to pack include medications, a medication list, a change of clothes, a toothbrush and chargers for electronic devices.

She said that, because Dartmouth’s senior center is on a generator, people can drop during a power outage even if they don’t plan on spending the night.

“Everything on the building is on the generator, you can charge your electronics. Sometimes, people just come in who are staying home, but they don’t have electricity, so they’ll come in for a meal, charge their cellphones and go back home.”

She said they can also access Eversource’s website to see where power has been restored.

With the future of the Council on Aging ahead of her, Sylvia said she’s already found that the Town of Dartmouth has a good support structure in place for its seniors. And she said it’s those seniors who have been the best part of her new job.

“What a great group we have here. It’s all about them, and they make it worth being here,” said Sylvia. “What other job can you jump in while line dancing or play pool with the guys?”