PALM COAST, Fla. – Offering seniors everything from medical resources, financial planning, and final resting places to chiropractic and massage services, home accessories, and entertainment, the 8th annual Senior Health & Wellness Expo was soup to nuts at the Palm Coast Community Center Friday morning.
Organized by Flagler Broadcasting and sponsored by AdventHealth, the expo has grown in size over the years with an aim to offer everything Flagler’s seniors could need under one roof.
“In 1981 President Ronald Reagan declared this week National Senior Citizens Week to honor senior citizens because the seniors in our country, especially this county, mean a lot to us,” said organizer Kirk Keller, Vice President of Events and Marketing for Flagler Broadcasting.
“Our average age in this county is 61 years old, and the majority of us, and I’m in that category to, are senior citizens. This senior expo really highlights a lot of programs that are available for seniors,” he said.
“From reverse mortgages that are very important to seniors, to blood sugar, which mine was very high today, and there’s a vision test here and mine is spot on to what my doctor says, it’s very important to have these things done,” added Keller, who claimed his wife hoped he’d have a hearing test for his ‘selective hearing’.
Talking with attendees, Seniors Helping Seniors’ Mike Walters was happy to connect with the community and share more about his company’s services.
“It was important for me personally to be here today because of how fast we’re growing. I was just telling someone that it’s nice to meet the people in the community, see what we’re doing, hear the impact that we’re all making on people. It kind of grounds you. It gets you out of the numbers and into the people,” said Walters.
He hopes that in a community caring for aging spouses or parents, that residents will reach out for support sooner rather than later.
“Be aware of resources,” said Walters. “There’s help out there. One of the key things I see when I’m talking with loved ones that are looking for help is they’re usually at their wits end by the time they reach out to us. It’s like a spouse and you feel it’s your responsibility to take care of that spouse because you’ve been married for five decades, or your parents who have done so much for you and you feel like I appreciate that, I see the love. The amount of love that I see for other people is tremendous I think that it’s important to know that it’s okay to ask for help too. You deserve it too.”
Keller was overwhelmed by the appreciation shown by seniors attending the expo.
“I’ve seen so many seniors today that said thank you, thank you, thank you, I did not know this,” he said.
Keller was quick to remind people that it’s not all health and wellness and small changes can make a big difference.
“Some things are just for fun, like The Fitzgerald Performing Arts Center, offering special programs for seniors today. It’s one of the things seniors here love to do,” he said.
“BEDTOPS Mattress is here and they’ve got mattresses specially designed for seniors and they’ve got discounts today. I just love this event. It’s all about learning and being more comfortable. The more you know about stuff the more comfortable you are and that’s what we want to do, make our seniors more comfortable and enhance their quality of life.”
