YMCA opens Resource Center for aging adults at 19th Ward facility

In partnership with the United Way of Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes, the YMCA of Greater Rochester has opened a Resource Center for aging adults at its Southwest Family Branch in the 19th Ward.

“We are proud to be part of reinventing what a center for older adults can be in the community,” said YMCA President and CEO George Romell. “Our greatest hope is that this Resource Center will bring together partners in a way that can meaningfully serve aging city residents in one place.”

The need for better urban services for older adults is evident, officials said. The Commission on Racial and Structural Equity found vast disparities in resources, physical space and programs between senior centers in urban and suburban locations. The Resource Center at the Southwest Family Branch will enable the YMCA to connect members to partners like Foodlink Inc., Lifespan and the United Way of Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes.

“We recognize that with a growing older adult population, Aging Resource Centers are vitally needed to address the health, social, economic and service disparities of many older adults,” said Wanda Cooper, director of community impact of the United Way of Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes. “The opportunity for older adult participation in enhanced fitness programs, fall prevention programs, food access, social engagement, intergenerational activities and much more will make this a true Resource Center in the community that will improve the health and wellness of its participants.”

The Resource Center will serve as a place that not only provides health and wellness opportunities and combats isolation but provides crucial information for seniors. Monthly, the center will host talks and workshops, focusing on topics such as scam prevention and stroke education.

“The United Way not only supported our ability to survive the pandemic but worked with us throughout the year and continues to help us reinvent our services in the city of Rochester,” Romell said. “Their partnership is the cornerstone to much of what we do.”

The Resource Center will be open from 9 a.m. until noon Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays for YMCA members.

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