Coffee With: Jennifer Bennett, Avon Director of Social and Senior Services
by Carl Wiser
Staff Writer
Mahjong, knitting and Euchre are popular programs at the Avon Senior Center, but they're not the main attraction.
"People show up for the coffee," says Jennifer Bennett, Avon's director of social and senior services. "Then they stay for whatever else is going on. It brings people together in little groups for coffee and chat. People don't want to be home alone, so we're trying to reduce loneliness and isolation. We always joke, 'Come for a cup of coffee and stay for whatever you want to.'"
The center is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. "In the morning, we have our regular group who come in for coffee, to use the computer, and to work on puzzles," Bennett says. "People come in to play cards. Sometimes they go Wii Bowling. We might have a talk in the morning before lunch. After lunch, sometimes there's a meeting or a presentation. We have bingo, music, and people doing their own activities. On Tuesday afternoons, there's Rummikub. We also play Scrabble, ping-pong, and cards. Today, we had a musician from the Hartford Symphony play the piano for us. Really, it's socialization and whatever form that takes. These are all ways to get people together."
The center, located at 635 West Avon Road, has about 500 members, with about 70 coming through each day. Any Avon senior can become one by filling out an application either at the center or via email.
"Tuesday and Thursday are our meal days, so those are the busiest," she says. "In the morning, we have our regular group who come in for coffee, to use the computer, and to work on puzzles. The puzzle group is a big group."
Outreach and Help with Transitions
For seniors who aren't able or willing to come to the facility, there's an array of services. "We provide outreach for people who may be sick, have gone to the hospital or rehab, and are now home but can't come back to us yet," Bennett says. "We make outreach phone calls and sometimes visits to check on them and see if they need anything. We make sure they're getting the resources and help they need. If there are financial concerns, we work those out through social services."
It's often the caregivers who reach out.
"I'm talking to a lot of adult children now because they're noticing changes. We look at the older adult's needs and abilities. Can they live at home alone? Can they move around their home safely? We look at their finances and see if they qualify for programs such as the Connecticut Home Care Program for Elders. If they don't qualify, we look for other ways to help. The town's Social Services department, which I direct, can help. We also have our food pantry and mobile food pantry. We can provide food, vouchers, and gas vouchers. We figure out what the person needs and how to help them and their family."
"We have to look at each case and person differently," she adds. "Some people want to stay in their own home. Others realize they can't or shouldn't. Their home might be too big, and they may not be able to manage it anymore. Then we might look at senior housing, which has a waiting list. Sometimes the senior and the family don't know where to start. We help them map it all out and go through it with them. Or we sit with the senior and go through it together."
Falls and Other Hazards
Falls and mobility issues are a big problem for seniors. The center offers fall-prevention and balance programs at different levels. At home, Bennett recommends getting rid of throw rugs: "They're one of the worst trip hazards."
"Use an assistive device, such as a cane or walker, even at home," she says. "Don't try to be a hero and think, 'I'm home, so I don't need it.' Most falls happen at home."
"Get a Life Alert or some sort of alert button in case you fall. If you have an Apple Watch or an iPhone, there are options now because technology is so much better than it used to be. You need some kind of alert so someone will contact you to see if you're okay or contact the person you've chosen as your emergency contact."
There are also dangers in the kitchen.
"Be careful when you're using your stove. If you're cooking, try to use the burners closest to you, especially in winter when you might be wearing long sleeves. Sometimes clothes can rest on a hot burner and catch fire. Make sure the stove is turned off.
"If you're having memory or cognitive issues, please see a doctor and get diagnosed so the proper resources and services can be put in place to keep you safe.
"Have a buddy system. Your neighbors might check on you if they don't see you. Have a routine that someone besides you knows about, just in case something happens. Make sure somebody is looking out for you."
Greatest Need
Bennett doesn't hesitate when I ask about her greatest need. "Time and money," she says. "We can always use more time in the form of staffing, but it doesn't necessarily have to be paid staff. Volunteers would be wonderful. We have a great core group who make us fabulous and help us help more people. And we need money because I'd love to do more programs for seniors, and things cost more than they used to. From a social services point of view, we're helping more people."
If you'd like to help out at the senior center, Bennett can find a role based on your expertise. She's had trainers run exercise programs, photographers do workshops, and authors lead discussions.
Interesting hobbies also go over well. "We have a gentleman who's a scuba diver," Bennett says. "He has a great sense of humor and he gives scuba-diving presentations. He takes beautiful pictures, and the seniors love it. The fish are gorgeous, and it's something most of us will never see."
"We try to take what's important to people and bring it to the seniors, because it will be important to them," she adds. "Relationships form, too. The seniors get to know the people and want them back. It's not just, 'You come, you talk, you leave.' You become part of us."
Resource Guide
Print copies are coming soon, but at avonct.gov/agewell you'll find the new Avon Community Resource Guide, funded by a grant from the Connecticut Age Well Collaborative.
"Last year, we had a program called Daring Dialogues," Bennett says. "It brought together people of different ages, municipal employees, and community members. We talked about aging and ableism and how we could try to be a better community."
Based on those discussions, Bennett worked with a group of seniors from the community and other town workers to compile the guide. It will be distributed at places like the senior center, town hall, library, fire department and police department. It's quite comprehensive, with sections on utility assistance, aging advocacy, recreation, mental health care, cottage food and many other topics.
Working With Older Adults
Bennett started at the senior center as a part-timer in 2006. She went full-time around 2014, and became the director of social and senior services in July 2025. "Even before junior high, I was volunteering and helping older adults," she says. "I kept working until I finished school and got licensed. I'm an LMSW, a Licensed Master Social Worker. I've worked with older adults throughout my career, and I love it. They're fun and funny, resilient, and stronger than people give them credit for. I like their sense of humor, even when they're a little spunky."
The job requires a lot of patience. "There's no magic wand to help everybody and fix everything," she says. "It's not quick, and it shouldn't be. People come to us with stories and lives, and a lot of things are complicated. We listen, talk them through it, and see what we can do to help."
We got to know Bennett better with these Coffee With questions:
What do you like to do when you're not working?
My family doesn't live around here, so I'm on the phone with them a lot, checking in and keeping in touch. I like to hang out with family and friends.
What are some of your favorite places in the area?
Avon has a lot of good places to eat, and I'm happy about that. We're at BeanZ and Co., and I like it here. They have an Almond Joy coffee that's delicious. Sometimes I pick up their take-home meals because you don't always have time to cook.
I like walking at Scoville Road and Old Farms, where they just redid the roundabout. It's a really pretty area.
What's something you'd like to learn?
I want to learn to knit. Both of my knitting groups at the center want to teach me, but it's hard to learn when you're trying to run everything. I'd like to learn because knitting would be a way to give back to people, to make something tangible to give them. The women who are good at it can talk and knit, and beautiful things come out.
What's something a lot of people don't know about you?
I can play the flute. And I love Highland cows. They're not like regular cows. They're from Scotland, where I'm from. They're big and have a tuft of hair that looks almost like a toupee. They have big horns, and they're very calming and sweet.
In your work at the senior center, what are you most proud of?
I'm really proud of the older adults in our community who value the space we work so hard to make available to them. They've spoken up for their space and made sure people respect it and understand it's for them.
The town has done such a good job over the years of making seniors more of a priority. That's an aging population, and it's growing in Connecticut. We need better resources, more staff, and more things available for them.
Call the senior center at 860-675-4355 to learn more.