In New York opened a leisure club for elderly immigrants: how to get into it

A club for elderly immigrants has opened in the Queens district of New York, where they can get rid of loneliness and gain access to various useful resources and information. Citylimits.org.

The new club is called “Golden Age” or “Złoty Wiek” in Polish. It is located in the Far Rockaway area (Rocaway Peninsula).

The club was created for single people, as a place where local residents can spend time together and gain access to resources and information.

“This is a place where people can get together, make new friends, chat and forget about loneliness, illness and other problems,” said Maya Trofimovich, an American of Polish origin and founder of the club.

She added that the club’s goal is to show older people that, despite their age, they can also enjoy life, dance, sing, draw and do what they like and bring joy.

“We want everyone to feel at home here and feel good, regardless of their physical condition,” stressed Trofimovich.

In addition to leisure activities, the club also plans to organize meetings with experts and professionals from various fields who can advise older people on legal and insurance issues.

“If there is interest, we will invite dance instructors, painting instructors and many others. We also plan dance parties and excursions. Everything in order to make the life of the elderly a little brighter, ”says Trofimovich.

She added that many elderly immigrants she knew had experienced difficulties living outside their home country. However, they decided to stay in New York, rather than returning to their homeland.

“It is for these people that we have created the Golden Age,” she said.

Who can become a member of the club

Anyone can become a member of the club, but its founders hope that the club will be especially interesting for people older than 50 years.

Membership in the Golden Age is free, as organizers acknowledge that it is often difficult for older people to make ends meet.

On the subject: In New York, elderly immigrants from the USSR live in poverty

The first event in the club was held in early September 2019 year, it brought together 20 people. Huashen America Inc., a health care company led by Trofimovic, sponsored it, and Seagirt’s day care center, which provides daily assistance, provided a venue for a first meeting.

The opening was accompanied by an exhibition of works of art “Meeting with Nature”, which showed paintings by Polish-American artists Teresa Rysztof and compositions from the stone of her husband Zbigniew Rysztof. This was followed by a short concert by mezzo-soprano Joanna Meleshko and soprano Anna Wilson.

The group of elderly immigrants attending the first meeting was very excited about the opening of a new club and said that they would bring their friends next time. So far, the Golden Age plans to meet once a month at the Seagirt Center at 1815 Avenue Kornaga. to Far Rockaway. The next meeting is scheduled for October 19.