Photo from left:  Trish Walden, VP, Central CT Senior Health Services; James Williamson, President, Community Foundation of Greater New Britain; Dawn Leger, Director of Community Resources & Volunteers, Central Connecticut Senior Health Services 

For Immediate Release 

SOUTHINGTON, CT, February 23, 2009 -- Central Connecticut Senior Health Services recently received a generous $20,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain.  The grant will be used to begin a cognitive fitness program for senior citizens at Jerome Home/Arbor Rose in New Britain and Mulberry Gardens of Southington, as well as for members of the general community who would like to participate in brain fitness.

“Our hope is that by providing a Cognitive Fitness program that is housed in the same facility as the Good Life Fitness programs, seniors will be encouraged to make the link between their physical and mental well-being,” said Patricia Walden, VP of Operations, Central CT Senior Health Services.  “Access to other assessments and prevention programs will channel people towards services they may need to improve vision, avoid falls, and maintain a healthy lifestyle.  We are doing all we can to help seniors remain independent in their homes, and promoting ‘brain fitness’ is an important part of that work.”

A portion of the grant is being distributed from the Johnstone Vance Memorial Fund and the Ev and Ethel Herre Memorial Fund, both funds of the Community Foundation.  “The Johnstone Vance and Herre Funds at the Community Foundation are both dedicated to helping our communities meet their most critical needs.  We are thrilled to be able to assist Central Connecticut Senior Health Services in its ongoing effort to improve services for seniors in the New Britain and Southington communities,” said Community Foundation President, Jim Williamson.

Central Connecticut Senior Health Services is a not-for-profit integrated healthcare system.  Its primary mission is to enhance the health and well-being of senior citizens in the communities we serve.  Its skilled nursing long-term care and short-term rehabilitation communities include Jerome Home in New Britain, Southington Care Center and our assisted living communities, The Orchards at Southington and Mulberry Gardens of Southington, a community specializing in memory care.  The newest addition to its family, Arbor Rose at Jerome Home, is an independent and assisted living community with studio, one and two-bedroom apartments as well as twelve apartments within a specialized memory care neighborhood.

Established in 1941, the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain connects donors who care with causes that matter in Berlin, New Britain, Plainville and Southington.  The foundation does this by raising resources and developing partnerships that make a measurable improvement in the quality of life in each of these communities.  For more information, call 860 229-6018.

To learn more about brain fitness, please contact Jerome Home at 860-229-3707 or Mulberry Gardens at 860-276-1020.