Romania's first seniors' social center opens in Bucharest

Romania’s first social center for the elderly has opened in Bucharest.

The center was created by the „Never Alone - Friends of the Elderly” Association with the support of the Dr. Max pharmacy chain, which donated EUR 100 000 to make it a reality.

This donation is the result of an extensive communication campaign through which the company donated EUR 1 for every Dr. Max branded product sold, from May 20 to June 20, 2022.

The partnership between Dr. Max Pharmacies and the „Never Alone - Friends of the Elderly” Association is a long-term one, and its objective is to support one of the most sensitive communities in Romania, that of senior citizens, who very often live by themselves and don’t have much of a support system in place.

Through this initiative, the social center dedicated to seniors opened in Bucharest on Intrarea Mântuleasa number 4.

"1 in 4 people over 65 feel loneliness acutely and 3 in 10 seniors have no one to socialize with. It is therefore very important to create an environment that invites as much interaction as possible. Seniors become more communicative when they feel part of a community. Socializing and spending leisure time with the aim of satisfying emotional needs can work wonders for them," says Cătălin Dinu, Executive Director of the „Never Alone - Friends of the Elderly” Association.

According to data collected by the association, seniors that experienced loneliness also declared a poor state of bodily and mental health, which was accentuated by their feelings of isolation.

Camelia Naciadi, Chief Commercial Officer of the Dr. Max Group, addresses this: "The impact of social relationships on health is as important as other risk factors, especially when we are talking about our seniors. Improving their lives is the main objective of our campaign. By opening the seniors' social hub we are trying to give them as many chances as possible to enjoy the presence of other people who will listen and encourage them to tell their stories."

Throughout the week, the center will offer various activities built around the visitors’ needs, focused on health, useful actions, psychology, art, and recreation. Thus, seniors visiting the center will be able to enjoy activities such as age-appropriate sports sessions, knitting workshops, and foreign language classes.

Additionally, seniors will be provided with psychological support, as the center will be organizing support groups with the help of specialists.

The two partners also have a program whereby lonely seniors are invited to festive dinners in celebration of Christmas and Easter.

(Photo source: Dr. Max)