New senior family center in Miami Gardens caters to those looking for mental, physical resources
MIAMI -- Experts say remaining active, both physically and socially, is one way to keep aging brains healthy and alert.
July is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, a time when caregivers hope to raise awareness about topics like aging and how it affects one's mental functioning.
Patricia Love-Williams says she's been visiting the Senior Family Center since it opened two years ago.
"I was home, you couldn't go nowhere, and I started getting really really depressed and kind of lost," she said. "And then I heard they were opening this center."
The retired nurse felt there was more that she wanted out of life.
"One of the things that really, really impressed me about coming, the educational programs, the health programs, financial programs and fun," Love-Williams said. "They have a lot of classes that stimulate our brain."
All of this is by design.
The Miami Gardens Senior Family Center is operated by the Parks Department in Miami Gardens.
The facility offers a host of events, ranging from exercise to gardening to art activities. They are all in place in order to keep seniors busy, engaged and happy.
Derek Holas likes coming.
"Yoga, I love the weight room. I love the silver sneakers," he said. "I participate in almost everything. I love the painting, but I can't paint."
The goal is to keep their minds and bodies alert while also providing an outlet for socializing.
Holas said it's working.
"It helped me physically, mentally (and) emotionally because you know they don't have much men," he said. "And so much women and I'm single."
"That whole mental health component is so important because a lot of them are grieving the loss of a spouse, grieving the loss of a son or a daughter (or) close friend," said Misti Barber, manager of the center. "And they need that safe haven; a place where they can go and connect with other people."
Miami Gardens Mayor Rodney Harris says the 38,000-square-foot center was built using a $60 million bond.
The response has been tremendous, he said, so tremendous that the brand-new facility is already too small.
"We're bursting at the seams," Harris said. "They come here and they have a chance to meet with people their own age and people that's in their demographics."
The Senior Family Center is currently providing services to about 1,100 people, most of whom are from Miami Gardens. The center is open, however, to anyone who lives in Miami-Dade County.
It's free to sign up and residents can call the Miami Gardens Parks Department for more information.
