SENATOR KLEIN ANNOUNCES $100,000 IN STATE FUNDING FOR BRONX SENIORS HEALTH & WELLNESS PROGRAM

Women’s wellness program aims to provide older adults with access to affordable, holistic healthcare

State Senator Jeff Klein announced $100,000 in state funding for the Riverdale Senior Services Women’s Wellness Plan on Wednesday. The announcement came at the group’s monthly Women’s Circle meeting.

“Growing up with my grandparents in Morris Park, I learned the importance of caring for our elders and giving back to those who have given us so much. The Riverdale Senior Services Women’s Wellness program provides participants with free access to wellness services and helps seniors cultivate and maintain both a sound mind and body. I’m proud to have secured $100,000 in funding for the Women’s Wellness Program and I look forward to continuing to work with Riverdale Senior Services to ensure our seniors lead long, healthy and happy lives,” said Senator Klein.

“Healthy and purposeful aging is really the key focus of the Riverdale Senior Services Women’s Wellness Program. Being able to age well in-place and to be independent for as long as possible requires one to be health literate, to have access to resources and to practice preventive strategies. Riverdale Senior Services provides not only a forum for women to gather, but also participate in wellness programs that contribute to health literacy and living a well and balanced full life,” said Andria Léger Cassidy, RN, Deputy and Community  Health Services Director at Riverdale Senior Services.

"All of my life I didn't have strength in my arms. Now, thanks to the Riverdale Senior Services Women’s Wellness program, I exercise regularly and best of all – I can open my own jars! I am very grateful to Senator Klein for funding this program and Riverdale Senior Services for offering support to women in the community,” said Elvina Lenz, participant in the Women’s Wellness Program and Riverdale resident.

The wellness program, targeted at women over 60, is comprised of five distinct parts: a physical fitness and nutrition class, health management services, a wellness tracking card and monthly women’s group that meets to discuss important issues facing seniors today.

• Women’s Support Group: Helps women to cope with physical, mental and emotional changes in their daily routine due to aging; provides assistance with caregiving issues; and offers support to those dealing with the loss of a loved one or widowhood. The women’s support group meets every Monday at 11:00 a.m.

• Strong, Healthy and Energized (S.H.E.): A ten-week fitness class designed to integrate exercise, nutrition and stress reduction into women’s daily lives. The health and wellness class is held at the Schervier Apartment Complex on Thursdays from 11:00 – 12:30 p.m.

• Health Management Services: Women participating in any one of the wellness programs can take advantage of health-management services provided by a registered nurse. This includes blood pressure monitoring, health referrals and health counseling services with a focus on nutrition, medications, weight management, chronic illness and more.

• Wellness Wheel Tracking Card: A tool to help women take responsibility for achieving balance in their lives by focusing on six dimensions of wellness. Women can use the card to track and develop activities in the following areas: social, physical, vocational, emotional, spiritual and intellectual health.

• Women’s Circle: Launched this year, the Women’s Circle helps women over 60 to lead a better, more balanced life. The circle provides a forum where women can gather together to gain information, network and enjoy each other’s company. The circle focuses on maintaining wellness and building a community of women with common interests and goals. The Women’s Circle gathers once per month to hold discussion groups.

For more information on the Women’s Wellness Program at Riverdale Senior Services, please contact Senator Klein’s office at 718-822-2049.

Above - State Senator Jeff Klein explains the importance of the Women's Wellness program, and why he supports it.

Below - Many of the Seniors in the Women's Wellness Program at Riverdale Senior Services were happy to pose with their favorite State Senator, Jeff Klein.

SENATOR KLEIN ANNOUNCES $100,000 IN STATE FUNDING FOR EMERALD ISLE IMMIGRATION CENTER’S MEALS ON WHEELS PROGRAM

  Local Meals on Wheels program doubles capacity; serves more than 10,000 hot meals annually thanks to funding secured by Klein

State Senator Jeff Klein and Siobhan Dennehy, executive director of the Emerald Isle Immigration Center, together with local volunteers and Bronx seniors, today announced $100,000 in state funding for Emerald Isle Immigration Center’s Meals on Wheels in The Bronx.

First established in 2011, the Meals on Wheels program has since doubled in size — now delivering more than 10,000 meals to homebound seniors annually. Senator Klein met with local volunteers and delivered a hot meal to a Woodlawn senior.

Senator Klein said: “In a community where the senior population is nearly two times that of the rest of The Bronx, Emerald Isle Immigration Center’s Meals on Wheels program provides an invaluable service to Woodlawn seniors. This year, I’m proud to have secured $100,000 in state funding for Emerald Isle’s program to help build capacity and expand enrollment. I look forward to partnering with the Emerald Isle Immigration Center to improve the quality of life and increase access to services in the community for many years to come.”

In just four short years, Senator Klein has allocated more than $250,000 to Emerald Isle Immigration Center Meals on Wheels, including initial funding that jump-started the program in 2011. Since then, the local Meals on Wheels program has become a service on which many local seniors depend. Each day, the program delivers 30 to 40 hot meals to community members. The funding secured by Senator Klein in this year’s state budget will go toward capacity building and expanding the program.

Siobhan Dennehy, executive director of the Emerald Isle Immigration Center said: “We have seen first-hand the benefits that delivering a meal can make to this neighborhood. Quite simply, this program and its reliable connectivity can transform and even save lives. We are truly grateful to Senator Klein for his vision and support of our community by ensuring this funding was continued for another year. To date, we have served more than 10,000 meals and with the help of our amazing staff and volunteers are already planning delivery of the next 10,000.”

Josephine O’Donahue, a Woodlawn senior, said: “Thank you Senator Klein for delivering for Bronx seniors. I have been a member of Meals on Wheels for over a year now and I can say without a doubt that this program has come to play a vital role in many seniors lives. I applaud Senator Klein’s efforts to help improve access to services in Woodlawn and I look forward to the Meals on Wheels program’s continued expansion in the community.”