‘Fiesta Dance’ brings seniors together to honor Latino culture across the Americas
It was a day filled with lively Latin music and dance, great tasting food and fun activities for seniors as The Unity Council and the Center for Elders’ Independence (CEI) hosted “Fiesta Dance,” honoring Latino cultures across the Americas. The Fiesta Dance, part of The Unity Council’s 50th Anniversary celebration, was held recently at the Fruitvale-San Antonio Senior Center, located in Oakland’s Fruitvale Village. The event was a big success, attended by more than 150 seniors, including 50 visitors from the Center for Elders’ Independence.
With an aging Latino population in the Bay Area –the number of Latino residents over age 65 is expected to increase by more than 20 percent in the next five years– and many families struggling without savings or insurance to cover their long term health care needs, organizations like the Unity Council and the Center for Elders’ Independence (CEI) are needed more than ever to enhance the health and quality of life of Latino seniors and their families.
“We are pleased to offer PACE (the Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly), CEI’s successful model of all-inclusive care for frail seniors, to eligible residents in Unity Council-sponsored housing,” said Linda Trowbridge, CEO, Center for Elders’ Independence. “We know it’s important for seniors to remain in their homes with their families as they age. CEI provides support and needed services not only to the seniors themselves but also to the family caregivers. Partnering with the Unity Council expands our ability to serve Latino seniors and families, providing them quality health care,” added Trowbridge.
The Unity Council and CEI see significant benefits to the partnership that will offer more services and more choices for Latino seniors living in the East Bay. The Unity Council serves more than 1,000 low-income, monolingual and multi-ethnic seniors aged 50 and older through three residential housing facilities and its Fruitvale-San Antonio Senior Center. CEI provides services designed to allow frail seniors to maintain their quality of life while continuing to live at home and age gracefully. CEI’s team of doctors, nurses, social workers, physical therapists and nutritionists coordinates closely with family caregivers to keep participants as healthy and independent as possible.
The Fiesta Dance celebrated the new partnership and provided an opportunity for seniors from the CEI sites in Oakland and Berkeley to visit the Fruitvale-San Antonio Senior Center to connect with old friends and meet new ones. As CEI participant Ms. Agatha Lovato commented, “I don’t get out in the neighborhood as much as I used to and I really enjoy social time with my friends. The Fiesta Dance was a special celebration with my community, and I look forward to the next one!”
“We need community partners like CEI to serve the medical and social services needs of our growing senior population, especially people with limited financial and physical resources,” said Chris Iglesias, CEO, The Unity Council. “Our partnership with CEI will benefit a large portion of our senior population and also provide much needed support for dedicated family caregivers,” added Iglesias.
CEI operates three PACE centers in Oakland and one in Berkeley, as well as alternative care settings in Oakland and El Sobrante, serving frail seniors from Richmond and El Sobrante to Hayward. Nationally, the PACE program serves 32,000 seniors in 31 states.