Each year during the month of May, we come together as a community to celebrate Older Americans Month to recognize the contributions of older adults and to highlight trends in aging.
The nation’s observance of Older Americans Month is led by the Administration for Community Living, an operating division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Established in 1963, the event highlights the importance of evidence-based approaches, self-management, caregiver roles and community partnerships, empowering individuals to lead healthy lives.
This year’s theme, “Champion Your Health,” underscores prevention, wellness and personal responsibility as cornerstones of healthy aging. It encourages older adults to take an active role in managing and advocating for their health, accessing preventive care and making informed decisions.
How can individuals take charge of their health at every age? Stay up to date on preventive care and screenings; build and maintain social connections that support emotional well-being; choose nutritious, minimally processed foods; incorporate regular physical activity to maintain strength and mobility; and practice daily habits that support mental health and resilience.
At Baker Senior Center Naples, we reaffirm our commitment to healthy aging each and every day. With our building at 6200 Autumn Oaks Lane, Baker Senior Center Naples is a non-profit organization offering comprehensive “one-stop-shop” services and programs addressing the emotional and social needs of all adults over age 60 in Collier and southern Lee counties.
Originally founded as the Naples Senior Center, Baker Senior Center Naples opened its doors on January 22, 2014 to mitigate issues like isolation and loneliness. Located in a small rented space, the center initially offered social programs and activities to just 80 seniors. Programs and services have since greatly expanded and membership has increased to more than 2,000.
Like other senior centers across the country, we offer a wide variety of social, educational and wellness programs, including classes in art, music and film; brain fitness and educational seminars; courses in technology and computer science, physical well-being and interest groups. These activities are offered each week thanks to a dedicated corps of nearly 300 volunteers.
What makes us unique is that we also provide essential programs and services by licensed and credentialed professionals. These include the Brookdale Cognitive Health Services, including Dementia Respite Groups and Caregiver Support; Case Management and Senior Outreach Programs; and Mental Health Counseling. We also offer a “choice” Food Pantry.
Importantly, we are Medicare providers and are on the panels of other private insurance as well. For those who do not have Medicare, services are provided on a sliding fee scale. Referrals come to us from physicians, clergy, other senior center members and the general community.
As the leading advocate for older adults in our community, Baker Senior Center Naples has seen the local senior population increase dramatically. We have responded to this growth by offering more programs and services than at any time in our 12-year history. We do this as one of the few organizations serving a segment of our population that all too often goes overlooked.
Baker Senior Center Naples is delighted to join the Administration for Community Living in celebrating Older Americans Month. We will continue to champion health and advance healthy aging, leaving a profound impact on the well-being and health of older adults in our community.
With our 30,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art building, Baker Senior Center Naples is proud to encourage older adults to “Champion Your Health” through our wide range of programs and services. As our tag line “Looking Forward” indicates, at Baker Senior Center Naples we are always gratified to be part of positive response to issues of concern in the community.
Our unique model empowers older adults and their families through connecting them to each other, and to the services and resources they need to thrive, to mitigate loneliness and promote healthy aging through one, easily accessible, point of contact − all under one roof.
In fact, Baker Senior Center Naples is one of just 250 senior centers across the country, including just eight within Florida, to achieve accreditation from the National Council on Aging and National Institute of Senior Centers (NISC). Accreditation means that the center meets the NISC standards in developing quality programs and services to meet the needs of seniors in the community.
For additional information about Baker Senior Center Naples as well as our many programs for local seniors, please call (239) 325-4444 or visit our website at BakerSeniorCenterNaples.org.
Marisa Luizzi, CDP, is chief program officer for Baker Senior Center Naples.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Baker Senior Center inspires older adults to champion health | Opinion
Reporting by Marisa Luizzi / Fort Myers News-Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
