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In Guerneville, the Russian River Senior Center frequently takes on the role of being a lifeline for older adults. This center serves the community from Forestville west to the coast. Many of its members live in remote areas. “We partner with the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office to check in on seniors during and after natural disasters.
Marin County is part of the problem. “People bought or began renting decades ago units that are high up, with a lot of stairs or are far from bus stops. We see and meet an uptick in ride and meal delivery requests in the winter. We’re always looking for ways to do more for folks who have difficulty leaving their homes,” says O’Hehir. In the Sonoma Valley, Vintage House sees over
We also check on older adults experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity on a regular basis,” says Emily Heinzelman, director of senior services, crisis support and employment services for West County Community Services (WCCS). The Russian River Senior Center has its own van, so it offers transport for trips and errands. These range from getting groceries to traveling to San Francisco for Broadway shows. Social interaction helps older adults relax after dealing with issues like clean-up and repairs after floods. Heinzelman says the Russian River Senior Center refers its most vulnerable members to Third Street House, a West County Health Center facility where some WCCS staff is co-located. The building offers free showers, assistance with obtaining medications and meals beyond the senior center’s four weekday lunches. Models for outreach, from city to country In San Rafael, Vivalon’s Healthy Aging Campus shows how a community hub can be a “one-stop shop for older adults.” Vivalon, formerly known as Whistlestop, is a Marin County nonprofit that serves older adults and people with disabilities. The organization opened the Healthy Aging Campus in downtown San Rafael in January 2024. The six-story campus contains a cafe, fitness center, medical clinic, technology center and art studio, as well as 66 units of affordable housing. “Having a campus like this helps us serve older adults better. They quickly become familiar with the resources we offer,” says Joe O’Hehir, interim CEO of Vivalon. Vivalon provides almost all of its programs in Spanish. Its resource center counselors speak Spanish too. “The Spanish-speaking population is the fastest growing segment of our senior population. Vivalon also has support groups and other programs for LGBTQIA+ individuals. This is partly because the Spahr Center, the primary Marin County nonprofit to serve the LGBTQIA+ population, closed in February 2024,” says O’Hehir. Vivalon, which offers rides to older adults throughout Marin County, is brainstorming ways to address social isolation in Marin’s smaller cities. The lack of appropriate and affordable housing in
2,000 people a month walk
through its doors. Some travel from distant locations, like Petaluma and
A Meals on Wheels client with the Council on Aging receives a meal. [Photo courtesy Council on Aging]
Napa. This senior center offers over 60 classes a week. It is the only senior center between Kenwood and Schellville. Close to 61% of the center’s classes are physical activities like yoga, strengthening and dance classes. The center also offers art, music, ukulele, bridge, German, Spanish, French, Italian classes, as well as lectures from experts on a variety of art and science topics. One of Vintage House’s most popular programs is its Friday “Soup’s On” event, in which local chefs make soup for a crowd of between 85 and 160 people. Basque Boulangerie Café in Sonoma donates the bread. Vintage House is now partnering with local businesses and nonprofits to encourage older adults to visit locations beyond the senior center. “We offer aqua fitness classes in partnership with Sonoma Splash, a local nonprofit aquatics center located in the City of Sonoma, and photography classes at Sonoma Botanical Gardens. Transcendence
Theatre Company has put on special
performances at Vintage House, which underlies the strength of our partnerships. All of this gets seniors out into the community to explore,” says Morales. In Napa Valley, connecting older adults requires collaboration with cities. Jenny Ocon is the executive director of UpValley Family Centers, a social services nonprofit that serves Calistoga, St. Helena,
Joe O’Hehir, of Vivalon.
February 2025
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