Members of the Cass County COA are fond of saying that they are “not your grandmother’s senior center.”

With ever growing number of learning, fitness and other programs being added to the agency’s list of services designed for a new age of retirees, that saying appears to be more than just an empty catchphrase.

The COA introduced a new redesigned website for its increasingly tech-savvy members this week, featuring a brand new look and several new features for visitors to enjoy.

The site offers improved navigation and more discoverable content than the previous iteration, providing visitors with an upfront glance of upcoming COA events right on the front page, said Patty Patano, the COA’s community development team leader.

“I think that it’s friendlier, it’s more engaging in terms of information we’re presenting,” Patano said. “It offers information that will give people a chance to take advantage of everything we have to offer.”

Leaders with the area agency have been working with designers with South Bend’s Force 5 Media over the last several months to create the new online home for the organization. The website’s design falls in line with the other work the COA has done in recent years to rebrand itself to appeal to the tastes of the baby boomer generation, who are more active than retirees in previous generations, Patano said.

“We’re looking at an audience that sees this stage of life entirely different from generations in the past,” she said.

With that in mind, the COA has added more interactivity to the website compared to its previous rendition. Visitors are now able to sign up for various programs and activities directly through the site now, instead of having to submit paper forms or call over the phone. The agency is also creating online fitness plans and challenges for users of its workout facilities to use as well, Patano said.

“The calendar on the front page will update automatically, so people can look ahead and get an idea of programs coming up,” she said.

A new photo gallery has been added to the site as well, featuring photos of actual COA members and volunteers. It also features a new mobile-friendly format as well, for users visiting the website on their smartphone or tablet, Patano said.

Volunteers and prospective employees will enjoy the new website as well, as it provides them with forms and information on how to get involved with working with the agency, Patano said.

As with any website, the COA is looking toward additional features in the future, including the potential of adding videos of events for people not able to attend live. As for now, though, the leadership is encouraging people to give the new site a spin.

“We’re proud of this initial effort, because it presents us well,” Patano said. “It speaks well to Cass County as well, in terms of the availability of services we offer compared to communities.”

The COA website is located at casscoa.org. For more information or to leave feedback, people can contact the COA at (269) 445-8110.