Catering to the Needs of the Community

• Throughout South Dade, and especially in the Cutler Bay, West Kendall, and Homestead areas, there is an ever-increasing number of elderly people who are failing to meet the minimum standard of living.
• Elderly and young adults of Caribbean and Hispanic descent who live in isolation represent 45% of foreign-born residents of Florida, of which 70% reside in Cutler Bay, West Kendall, and Homestead communities. 
• Every year, an average of 942 people die by gun violence in Florida – a rate of 4.9 homicides per 100,000 individuals. Therefore, it is the responsibility of every concerned citizen to provide a safe environment for our seniors with dementia and Alzheimer who tend to wander off in the streets.
• These alarming statistics are accentuated by the language barriers between populations in need of services and organizations providing these services in Miami-Dade. Ninety-five (95%) of such organizations speak exclusively Spanish, causing the majority of the English, French, and Creole speakers to stay home due to communication issues.
• GILD caters to diverse community needs by embracing various cultures through diverse linguistic  and cultural expressions.

Activities

Activities at the Center aim to provide cognitive stimulation and socialization to patients with age-related and physical disabilities and help to slow down or reverse patterns of forgetfulness caused by depression, confusion, or anxiety. 

• Crossword puzzles, word search games, dominoes, and simple card games like “Go Fish”
• Locating on a globe the places that patients or loved ones have visited in the past
• Perusing photo albums to help stir up fond memories
• Scrapbook activities
• Group discussions about historical and current events
• Dance and exercise
• Arts and crafts
• Karaoke 
• Workshops on various health issues 
• Relaxing while watching movies and engaging in quiet activities