Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Episcopal Senior Communities: Cultivating Community for All Seniors















            During each chapter in life, a purpose is redefined: college students to pass their courses, professionals to be successful in their careers, and parents to raise their children.

What happens when you reach your golden age?

            Nowadays, senior citizens are living longer, and  have the opportunity to be thoughtful about their lives in retirement, taking into account the financial, emotional and physical dimensions of a life well lived.

            For the past 50 years, Episcopal Senior Communities (ESC) has been devoted to helping to ensure that this golden age is one of opportunity, vibrancy and creativity.

            ESC is a leader in serving seniors, having cultivated six continuing care retirement communities and four affordable senior housing communities throughout the Bay Area, and having developed innovative and creative outreach service models that address the changing needs of seniors living in their own homes.

            Two outreach services provided by ESC to connect isolated seniors with community are Senior Center Without Walls and the ElderWISE program.

            Senior Center Without Walls is an award winning program that brings community to seniors through telephone activities, including friendly conversations and an assortment of engaging classes and support groups. Among the more than 60 sessions offered are Wandering the World, Rekindling Spanish and Socrates Café, along with a wide range of support groups and special health and wellness sessions.

            "Senior Center Without Walls gives me a hopeful reason to get up each day...thank you," says a participant. "What a thrill for a hard-of-hearing, visually impaired 90-year-old."

            ElderWISE is a program that pairs seniors with a trained volunteer who visits regularly. ESC volunteers and participants learn about each other’s lives, hobbies and interests and eventually develop a rapport. Many intergenerational friendships have resulted from the program.

            ESC also provides Senior Produce Markets throughout the Bay Area, as well as information and referral services, health and wellness programs, and safety net funds for seniors living in poverty.

            ESC’s Fourth Annual Celtic Cup Golf Tournament & Fashion Show Fundraiser, happening Monday, June 8th at the Moraga Country Club, raises funds to help support these important senior programs. For 50 years, community residents, business partners, neighbors and friends have helped raise funds for ESC’s Circle of Friends to help improve the lives of seniors in ESC communities as well as those aging in their own homes.

            Each year, ESC’s outreach programs reach more than 15,000 seniors. Through the integration of vital social, spiritual and wellness programs, ESC honors and serves seniors in helping them to maintain their happiness, health and independence as they pursue the opportunities that long life offers.

For more information on Episcopal Senior Communities, visit http://jtm-esc.org/

For more information on the Celtic Cup Golf Tournament and Fashion Show Fundraiser, visit http://jtm-esc.org/escf/celtic-cup/

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