Senior Recreation Center

Our Seniors are the Cornerstone of Our Community

We need your help to make the Alachua County Senior Center a place we can all be proud of.

In Alachua County Florida, more than 38,000 people are age 60 or older, and it is estimated that 25 percent of seniors live alone. Many of these seniors become isolated from their friends and community, giving up the activities they once enjoyed. Research indicates that this type of isolation can erode the physical, mental and emotional health of seniors, gradually diminishing quality of life and ultimately disaffecting their ability to remain independent. As these dynamics evolve, seniors and their caregivers become more likely to need assistance from the broader community and the already strained long-term health care systems.

A Great Partnership with the City of Gainesville and ElderCare of Alachua County

Located in Gainesville the Alachua County Senior Recreation Center (ACSRC) will open to the public in early 2012. This state-of-the-art, 17,000-square-foot recreation and ctivity center will house ElderCare of Alachua County (ECAC) and other community agency staff. It will exemplify the state’s definition of a Multiservice Senior Center, in part, by offering a comprehensive array of programs and services to meet the diverse needs of younger Baby Boomers, older seniors and their caregivers. The City of Gainesville’s support of the center includes assistance with project development, provision of the location for the facility, maintenance of the grounds and a regional transportation system. ECAC will run the day-to-day operation and programs for the center. Center benefits will include health education, preventative screenings, physical fitness, service delivery, arts and cultural activities, nutrition, social and volunteer opportunities and much more.

Meeting the Needs of Our Seniors

Alachua County was one of the few counties in Florida that does not have a dedicated multiservice senior center to serve as an active focal point where seniors can socialize, access services, participate in fun and educational activities, volunteer and stay generally engaged with their peers and the broader community. Studies on seniors show that activities, socialization and enhanced community connectedness can prevent depression, decrease feelings of isolation and increase quality of life. By providing Alachua County’s large community of seniors its first true senior center, this project has an immediate and significant beneficial impact on the quality of life for today’s seniors and an ongoing impact on tomorrow’s need for long-term care. The new ACSRC addresses and meets the needs of this growing population of seniors, and it also helps relieve some of the stress placed on the caregiver.

To make a difference in the lives of senior citizens in Alachua County and their families you can make a gift on line by vis. Or please call the UF&Shands Office of Development at (352) 265-7237 for more information.

Naming opportunities available

Alachua County Senior Recreation Center: $5 million
Conference Hall (Multi-Purpose Room): $1.5 million
The Lobby: $250,000
The Recreation Lounge: $250,000
Fitness Center: $250,000
Kitchen: $30,000
Benches/Trees: $5,000

All gifts of $1,000 or more will be recognized on the donor wall.