SAN DIEGO, CA – For many of senior properties across California, residents love to attend recreational activities such as game nights, community potlucks, and arts and crafts workshops. As part of their health and wellness services, these fun and social activities that the Pacific Southwest Community Development Corporation (PSCDC) Resident Services Coordinators provide help achieve their goal of promoting a life of healthy wellbeing for their senior residents. The residents of Villa Serena, a senior community in San Diego, were invited to a Loteria event by our PSCDC Resident Service Coordinator, Linda Leon.

Lotería, a traditional Mexican game of chance, sharing some characteristics with bingo, but utilizes a deck of cards instead of numbered ping pong balls, has become a popular past time for many of their senior communities. For the Villa Serena community, Linda hosts lotería days twice a month. Socializing events like loterías are what her residents seem to appreciate about PSCDC hosted services, as it allows them to see friends and gives them a reason to go out and have fun.

“I get anywhere from six to twenty residents to socialize at some of the events,” shared Linda. “I think when residents see on the calendar a socialization event, they are most likely to participate. This Valentine’s Day, there were seven residents who came to play.”

Socializing events are also a great opportunity to introduce residents to partners from local community networks, since they always bring in a sizeable attendance. For Villa Serena, representatives from Humana come to visit during these lotería events. Once a month, Humana hosts a small informational seminar where residents can get information, discover resources, and ask questions about health insurance and Medicare.

The residents enjoy playing lotería but for them, the best prize is the social interaction with one another. PSCDC believes that physical wellbeing is only half of the challenge when talking about providing a healthy lifestyle for their senior residents. The other half, one’s mental wellbeing, is just as important to provide opportunities for. Socialization events and services that promote creativity play an essential part towards mental wellbeing. For many of their senior communities, other services hosted by PSCDC Resident Services Coordinator such as walking clubs, arts and craft workshops, chair yoga, and many more, offer residents a way to stay active and healthy, both physically and mentally.