Even during the best of times, the stress and anxiety of coping with cognitive decline, feelings of loneliness and isolation, and a host of oftentimes interconnected health concerns create a unique set of challenges for Southwest Florida’s elderly residents and their families who fill a vital role as caretakers. Among the most vulnerable during the COVID-19 crisis are seniors facing such age-related issues.
When sudden health and safety guidelines required social distancing and drove an unprecedented temporary closure of the Naples Senior Center at Jewish Family & Community Services, the nonprofit may have been forced to close its doors for the time being, but its heart remained wide open to the nearly 1,000 regional residents it serves.