Margaret Dolly loves playing cards, while socializing with friends — and with the recent reopening of the Zephyrhills Senior Center, she can do that more often.
Pasco County rebooted its Senior Services Division within the city in December, after it had been dormant for a year.
The county and Saint Elizabeth Episcopal Church had a longstanding collaboration to serve seniors in the community, but that came to a close at the end of 2017, after it was determined the arrangement was no longer mutually beneficial, said Tom Snee, assistant manager of Pasco County Senior Services.
While the Zephyrhills center was closed, about one-third of Zephyrhills senior recipients began using services at the county’s Dade City branch.
When Diane Cunningham was named the new program director in early 2018, she reached out to Saint Elizabeth Episcopal Church in an effort to resume the services. Now, Zephyrhills has once again joined the ranks with the branches in Dade City, Port Richey, Land O’ Lakes, Shady Hills and New Port Richey, in having a local senior center.
The Zephyrhills program operates at the church’s dining hall, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. It offers a daily meal and social activities.
It’s free and there’s no waiting list. Participants must be at least 60 years old.
However, those younger than 60 can join, as long as their spouse meets the age requirement.
The senior program is a service with a well-documented need.
Florida, which has a population of 21 million, is the nation’s third-largest state and has the highest rate of senior citizens. More specifically, seniors make up 31 percent of Pasco residents.
Besides helping to meet seniors’ social needs, the county’s program also helps address their nutritional needs.
“A lot of times our seniors aren’t eating as healthy as they should,” explained Snee. “Our meals are designed specifically to cater to the nutritional aspects of a healthy senior diet.”
Participants are also kept engaged through various activities such as bingo, yoga, and music therapy.
There are also introductory courses to help familiarize seniors with technology, as well as social media.
Ninety-two-year-old Dolly looks forward to the daily events.
“You get to get out of the house and meet other people,” the former nurse said.
Square and ballroom dancing are also in the works — with the aim of giving seniors a chance to be more physically active, while having fun.
“We try to really put programs into place that get people out of their homes [and] reengaged with the community,” Snee said.
The overall goal is to keep seniors living independently for as long as possible, he added.
Nina Bird, 93, has been attending the nutrition center for two years and previously was a volunteer.
When comparing her working years to her retirement, she said: “I like this better.”
The Zephyrhills center does not deliver food to those who are homebound and those who cannot commute, like other branches do, but plans to expand its program in the future.
Snee attributes much of the program’s success to volunteers who help prepare meals and help with social activities.
“We have a very strong volunteer force,” he remarked, adding, “volunteers are a key part of our business.”
Providing resources to 800 Pasco seniors every weekday also requires sufficient funding.
In conjunction with the Area Agency on Aging of Pasco-Pinellas Inc., the Older Americans Act funds the majority of the program with grants. Pasco County also provides a portion of funds to keep it operational.
The Zephyrhills branch is building up its daily attendance. During December, it had 10 to 18 seniors attending daily — about one-third of what it was before the center closed in 2017.
The county and Saint Elizabeth Episcopal Church are working to put the word out about the center’s reopening. It is using door-to-door flyers, providing presentations at community centers and distributing brochures.
An open house also is planned at Saint Elizabeth Episcopal, 5855 16th St., on Jan. 18 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., complete with refreshments, music and door prizes. The event will give guests a glimpse of what the program offers for seniors.
Expanding more centers in Pasco County is a long-term goal, although finding locations willing to enter into a public-private partnership is key to making that happen.
Zephyrhills, New Port Richey and Shady Hills branches are partnerships with organizations, while the other Pasco branches are solely owned by the county.
For more information, contact the Pasco County Senior Services at (727)-834-3340.
To RSVP for the open house, call Carolyn Johnson at (352) 521-5151, by Jan. 15.
Zephyrhills Senior Center Open House
Where: Saint Elizabeth Episcopal Church, 5855 16th St., Zephyrhills
When: Jan. 18 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Cost: Free
Details: Open to the community, the event allows the word to get out about a place offering a nice social atmosphere and meal for senior citizens in the Zephyrhills area. Refreshments, music and door prizes will be available.
RSVP (optional) by calling Carolyn Johnson at (352) 521-5151, by Jan. 15.
Published January 9, 2019
