As Florida’s weather is constantly changing, this puts older adults at risk of serious injuries if they aren’t prepared for the Florida Winter. Senior Resource Alliance and YMCA partnered together to help protect seniors from this winter by handing out weather preparedness kits that included socks, portable heaters, sweaters, and hand warmers on Monday, Jan. 26 from11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
The YMCA workers gave out apple juice, orange juice, and hot chocolate on a first-come first-served basis. Older adults also had the opportunity to work out together and receive helpful tips such as learning the 8 Pillars of Wellness.
The first step towards the 8 Pillars of Wellness is physical wellness, social wellness, emotional wellness, nutritional wellness, financial wellness, spiritual wellness, intellectual wellness, and environmental wellness. Each pillar is important for seniors to continue a good quality of life as they continue aging.
The importance behind this event is to give resources to seniors who may be living independently and can’t afford to take care of themselves. These supplies continue to benefit older adults and put the focus on elderly care.
Working Together to keep Elderly Safe
Aging is a natural part of life, but that doesn’t change the way it can emotionally, physically, and mentally impact someone who is going through this stage.
“This is a family and we are a community,” said Frankie Huertas, Grand Master of Karate at the YMCA. “I love working with all the adults and I’m not much younger than they are at my age of 74. They have a need where they are sometimes by themselves, they don’t have a significant other, or they go through periods of solitude where they feel depressed, so I like organizing these events that’ll give seniors different options to socialize with people their age and facing the same challenges of life as we age.”
Huertas said that the resources given to the seniors at the YMCA/The Senior Alliance has made the older adults appreciative that there are people who care about keeping them safe. Huertas also said the best way seniors can prepare for the cold is to get a jump start on getting the supplies needed before the cold front hits Florida.
“Prepare in advance and don’t wait till the last minute to minute to get a blanket, get an emergency heater, get gloves, and look at the safety guidelines,” Huertas said. “Always try to prepare like you’re preparing for a hurricane in Florida.”
Kayleisha Allah, Associate Executive Director of the South Orlando YMCA, said YMCA and The Senior Resource Alliance teams both share a common interest when it comes to keeping elders safe.
“The Senior Resource Alliance reached out to the YMCA, and we have a shared goal and mission where we want to service our older adults,” Allah said. “It was a no-brainer with the change in weather, and it just aligned with our values and how we want to be a resource within the community.”
Christian Steiner, Director of Operations for Senior Resource Alliance said putting on this event gives the elders the opportunity to prepare to stay warm in the most efficient way.
“We understand the importance of staying warm, especially in a climate like Florida where it doesn’t get cold too often so when a cold front does come in, we understand the importance of being prepared and that not everybody may not have the materials they need to stay warm,” said Steiner.
This event highlighted how the alliance brought together the senior community while giving them something to look forward to.
“You can see the smiles right on the seniors faces the moment we hand over the kits, it is instantaneous,” Steiner said. “Know what your local resources are and know what’s available.”
The YMCA/Senior Alliance will continue to support seniors’ best interests especially as cold weather continues during the season.