Senior Center opens in Naples

Judith and Edward Anchel cutting ribbon with Commissioner Georgia Hiller and JFCS Board Chair, Richard A. Goldblatt

To get 184 people to attend anything in Naples is no mean feat: but that’s how many people showed up to support and attend the grand opening and ribbon cutting of the JFCS Senior Center on March 4 at 5025 Castello Drive. Speakers included Commissioner Georgia Hiller, Jeff Lytle and Dr. Jaclynn Faffer.

The event’s purpose was to welcome the community, showcase tours and thank everyone in attendance for their support of the center. Faffer says research shows that older adults who participate in senior center programs can learn to manage and delay the onset of chronic disease and experience measurable improvements in their physical, social, emotional and mental well-being.

“Compared to their peers, participants in senior centers have higher levels of health, social interaction and life satisfaction,” said Dr. Jaclynn Faffer, president of JFCS Senior Center. She cited the recent FGCU study commissioned by the Collier County Leadership Coalition on Aging which found that of the 57,600 seniors living in the greater Naples area, 52 percent are female and more than ten thousand live alone. “We have known for quite some time that loneliness and isolation are so detrimental to a person’s well-being that those two factors can shorten one’s life.”

David Rutstein, JFCS Board member, Dr. Jaclynn Faffer, JFCS President/ CEO, Georgia Hiller, Commissioner and Marvin Lader, JFCS Board member

She hopes people will support the center so seniors countywide can benefit from the myriad of services provided there through the non-sectarian human service agency serving Collier and southern Lee Counties. The JFCS Senior Center, which officially opened on January 22, 2014 is where seniors can meet and socialize as well as share intellectual pursuits. The Center offers a weekly hot lunch, computer classes and will soon be offering card games, mah-jong and art classes. A café is available for members to enjoy that most social of activities – a shared laugh or story over coffee or tea and a light snack. Faffer says the venue is for seniors to participate in activities which will keep them engaged.

The JFCS Senior Center has two Community Partnership offices where representatives from other non-profits serving seniors will use space at no charge to provide their services under one roof. Anyone 60 years of age or older can become a member of the JFCS Senior Center. For more information, visit www.jfcsswfl.org.