Senior citizen services continue in Lobeda

City of Jena informs about continuation of senior citizens' services after closure of the senior citizens' meeting center in Lobeda

Following the decision taken in spring together with the AWO Regionalverband Mitte-West-Thüringen e. V. to close the senior citizens' meeting place in the LISA district center on 31 December 2025, the city administration of Jena has been working intensively with the AWO, volunteers and stakeholders from Lobeda to find solutions for the continuation of the services.

Several discussions took place over the summer under the mediation of the city's elderly care planner Franziska Wächter. The result of these discussions is a viable solution: the majority of the existing services can be continued at new locations.

These include, among others:

• Creative time and handicrafts, in future at the AWO Lebenswege residential park
• Cooking club, in future at the Westside youth center
• Senior sports, to continue at the LISA district center
• Skat round, in future at the DRK meeting center

With this solution, it is possible to secure the commitment of the volunteers and maintain the social structures in the district. At the same time, the new concept takes into account the changing demographic conditions: while the total number of older people in the district is decreasing, the proportion of over 80-year-olds is increasing. In future, outreach services that are closer to everyday life, such as the agathe project co-financed by the city, will therefore be expanded to prevent loneliness in old age and offer individual support.

Kathleen Lützkendorf, Head of Social Affairs, is delighted with the solutions that have been found: "My special thanks go to the current facility management, our elderly care planning department and all those involved who have worked constructively to find solutions over the past few weeks. We are sending out an important signal with the continuation of the meeting opportunities and the expansion of outreach services such as agathe: We want to ensure the participation of older people and at the same time meet the changing needs in the district. This is about individual support as well as successful coexistence between all generations."

The existing senior citizen services at LISA under the AWO umbrella will run until September 30, 2025. The new locations will be presented at a public information event on September 24, 2025. The new locations will also be displayed at LISA and published in the senior citizens' office's events calendar.

Background:

The decision to close the AWO senior citizens' meeting place in the LISA district center was based on a professional assessment. The decisive factors were the declining usage figures over the years, significantly increased subsidy requirements and the limited prospects for further development. Irrespective of this, the AWO's housing advice service will continue to be offered at the care support point (Goethe Galerie) and as part of outreach advice.