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Naples, FL – 3/6/19 – Collier Senior Resources (CSR) – a nonprofit organization working to address the needs of older adults and their caregivers – joins individuals, businesses and organizations across the state to celebrate Florida Senior Day on Thursday, March 27, 2019. “For us, every day is ‘senior day’ and we’ve made it a priority, through the Leadership Coalition on Aging, to seek new solutions to challenges facing seniors and their caregivers as well as educate elected officials on the issues,” explains Collier Senior Resources’ Golden Gate Senior Center Director Tatiana Fortune, MSW. Currently, Florida boasts the nation’s highest senior population with some 5.2 million seniors aged 60+ years and researchers estimate that number to increase to 7.1 million by 2030. CSR at the Golden Gate Senior Center offers a wide-range of free programs and services to support seniors to address the increased depression, declining mental and physical health, as well as increased risk of death associated with social isolation among the elderly. Through the Center, seniors can learn new skills, develop relationships, share stories, build community and feel included, especially beneficial for men and women who have relocated to the area without a support network and/or recently lost a spouse/partner. The organization maximizes each dollar received by collaborating with trusted partners, including AARP Foundation (job placement and training for out-of-work, low-income seniors), Alzheimer’s Support Network, Area Agency on Aging, Catholic Charities (social services), Collier Area Transport, Collier County Nutrition, SHINE Medicare counseling, Literacy Volunteers, Sheriff’s Office and more. Additionally, CSR provides: a daily hot lunch and coffee bar; weekly food pantry, blood pressure, vision and diabetes screenings, oral health assessments, balance testing and fall prevention lectures; monthly birthday parties, dance and exercise classes, art therapy, cards and games, holiday parties, Alzheimer’s support groups, crafts; Direct Assistance for Needy Seniors Program and other life-enhancing programs and services. Through the Center, CSR serves more than 1,200 hot lunches a month to seniors in-need and provides 780+ families weekly access to a Meals of Hope food pantry, including 330 needy seniors. “Just as growth in this demographic is a constant, so are our efforts to exceed community need,” concludes Fortune. “Florida Senior Day is another way to showcase the needs of area seniors, share the services available in Collier County and highlight the vibrant, diverse, caring community that is the Golden Gate Senior Center.” Now in it’s 19th year, Florida Senior Day is hosted by the Department of Elder Affairs and United Way of Florida at the State Capitol to honor the many contributions of Florida seniors, highlight key issues facing Florida’s ever-growing senior population and advocate for seniors’ needs. For more information on Collier Senior Resources and the Golden Gate Senior Center, including upcoming community classes, please call 239.252.4541, or visit www.CollierSeniorResources.org. ###