Opinion: An international model for senior centers celebrates its 15th anniversary

Serving Seniors President CEO Designate Melinda Forstey left Mary West Gary West and Serving Seniors President CEO Paul Downey cut an anniversary cake Photo courtesy of Serving Seniors When the Gary and Mary West Senior Wellness Center opened years ago Serving Seniors opened the doors with a sense of excitement and high hopes It was our vision to be the model for a new generation of senior centers Currently years later I can confidently say we have done all that and accomplished much more than we ever expected Serving Seniors invited our clients to join us on April to celebrate this milestone with Gary and Mary West the San Diego philanthropists who agreed to provide the million in funding to purchase the building that would be transformed from a closed downtown car dealership to a haven for low-income and homeless older adults It replaced a dark and barely functional space at Ninth and Broadway I was years into my role as president and CEO It was my firm belief we could do so much better by providing a contemporary cheerful space full of natural light and optimism providing services to help older adults thrive no matter their financial circumstances In the years since then the Gary and Mary West Senior Wellness center has provided services to more than older adults multiple of whom visit regularly We have served three million meals in the center s dining room Once people join us for a meal they learn about our other programs classes and social events Tens of thousands of people have taken part and even created their own groups to enjoy trilling or walking together They receive supportive services from more than collaborative partners including social work mental medical counseling financial and legal services and can visit our full-service dental clinic the only one at any senior center in the United States also made manageable through the endorsement of the Wests and their foundation In years the original million financing in the building has generated million in total philanthropic promotion In the years since we opened delegations from around the world and throughout the U S have visited our center to learn about approach and our innovative programs and services The one thing that has never wavered in years is Serving Seniors commitment to our older adults who walk through our doors daily Our squad is determined and driven by the same compassion enthusiasm and commitment we had in opening the Wellness Center with the belief we would change lives for the better through our efforts The belief in our concept by Gary and Mary West led to their extraordinary gift allowing us to make it all happen Their amazing generosity continues to this day and it was a delight to have the Wests on hand to celebrate our milestone and cut the celebratory cake all our senior guests enjoyed for the occasion Both Gary and Mary West regularly serve meals in our dining room Mary hosts a monthly cooking class and it is without a doubt our majority of popular monthly activity As people live longer low income and homeless older adults continue to struggle with their everyday requirements even as their numbers rise At the the bulk basic level the Serving Seniors squad works hard days a year to ensure no older adult goes to bed hungry What Serving Seniors also recognizes is the impact that meaningful relationships and social connections have on our strength and wellbeing We work to connect with older adults in order to combat isolation and help healthy aging and independence It happens every day as people share meals or enjoy an exercise class or entirely relax and watch a movie with their friends at the Wellness Center Offering socialization is a vital part of the Serving Seniors mission to keep older adults healthy and better able to avoid homelessness Once a client starts receiving meals a Serving Seniors circumstance manager meets with each person to determine whether any other services or information might benefit them providing an additional outreach opportunity to low-income and homeless older adults They can access healthcare exercise classes walking groups and civic engagement Not only do our fresh nutritious meals provide the basic building blocks of healthy aging our lively dining room utility feeds the soul as well days a year and free of charge One of our familiar faces at the Wellness Center is Zhexin Yu Zhexin represents our multiple Mandarin-speaking seniors who live nearby and who gather at our Wellness Center daily We solicited him to say a inadequate words at our anniversary celebration This is not just an activity center It feels like home a place where we help and accompany each other My heartfelt thanks to the Gary and Mary West Senior Wellness Center and all the dedicated staff and supporters working behind the scenes May we continue to carry forward this spirit of warmth and population Zhexin stated us Serving Seniors will keep our doors open at the Gary and Mary West Senior Wellness Center days a year for the society We extend an invitation to you if you d like to enjoy a meal or join us as a group volunteer Paul Downey is CEO of Serving Seniors a San Diego-based nonprofit that helps seniors in poverty live healthy and fulfilling lives