LIVERPOOL — When New York State Sen. John DeFrancisco retired in 2018, his 14-year tradition of hosting a senior fair came to an end. But the demand for a one-stop shop for resources for older adults remained.
Community Living Advocates is hoping to pick up where DeFrancisco left off with the CNY Senior Fair, which takes place Sept. 22.
“We’re trying to fill that gap,” said Nancy Aureli, founder of Community Living Advocates.
About 40 agencies have signed on for the CNY Senior Fair, including home healthcare providers, insurance agencies and nonprofits.
The COVID-19 pandemic made it difficult to ensure CNY’s older population had access to the services they needed.
“We have done a lot of senior fairs at towns throughout the county, and over the pandemic we did senior fairs in a bag,” Aureli said. “I think that worked really well — something they could bring home and look over.”
As the pandemic continues, seniors are looking for opportunities to reconnect with their friends and communities in a safe way.
“My mom is 75. She wants to do things outside so it’s safer,” Aureli said.
The CNY Senior Fair is open to people 55 and older. The target audience encompasses seniors in various stages of life from empty nesters to those looking to transition to a higher level of care. Seniors on the younger end of the spectrum “really need more opportunities to have fun” and are looking for activities to fill their retirement days.
“I think we’re gaining seniors right now at 10,000 a day,” Aureli said, echoing AARP’s estimate that 10,000 Americans turn 65 each day.
“They’re looking for things to do because people are living longer. They’re just like you and me — they want to have fun,” she added.
Often, people in their 50s to 70s are part of a “sandwich generation” that must balance caring for their own children and their aging parents.
“My mom when she was 69 started taking care of her mom, and my grandmother died when she was 100,” Aureli said. “I call myself the ‘super sandwich generation.’ I was taking care of my kids, myself and my husband, my mom and my grandma.”
Being a caregiver for a loved one can be overwhelming, Aureli said. That is why she founded Community Living Advocates in 2017: to connect caregivers and senior resources across CNY.
In addition to connecting people with agencies and services for seniors, the CNY Senior Fair offers free lunch and live music from the Power of Two. Following the fair at 1 p.m. there will be a naturalist-led nature walk.
“This event is happening rain or shine — please bring beautiful weather with you,” reads Community Living Advocates’ website.
The CNY Senior Fair takes place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 22, at Willow Bay in Onondaga Lake Park. For more information, visit communitylivingadvocates.com/cnyseniorfair.
