Encinitas is a senior-friendly community offering many programs and services. We hope that you will explore these wonderful opportunities and discover what is available to you.
Quick Links
Encinitas Senior Center
The Encinitas Senior Center is a vibrant place for Social, Recreational, and Outreach programs and services. The center offers a variety of arts and crafts, computer instruction, dance, fitness classes, games, music appreciation, outreach services, special interest programs, transportation, and special events. Connect with us and be a part of it! Click here to visit the Encinitas Community & Senior Center page.
Parks and Recreation Guide Brochure
The Recreation Guide is a quarterly publication outlining all the various programs offered for senior citizens 50 years of age and better. View the Recreation Guide covering late fall 2020.
For recreation program information, contact:
Vicki Rubenstein, Recreation Supervisor
(760) 943-2253
vruben@encinitasca.gov
For Senior Center operations, contact:
Christie Goodsell, Senior Center Manager
cgoodsell@encinitasca.gov
Encinitas Parks and Recreation Cafe (Lunch Program)
Enjoy a nutritious and satisfying dining experience weekdays at the Encinitas Community and Senior Center Parks & Recreation Café, intended for baby boomers and seniors of the veteran era alike.
The City of Encinitas Senior Center is proud to work with Essenco, Inc. the senior nutrition program provider as of July 24, 2019. Essenco, Inc. works with the City of Encinitas to ensure that seniors’ nutritional needs are balanced with an overall dining experience focused on quality, taste, variety and presentation. Essenco, Inc. prepares its own soups and sauces from fresh, natural ingredients and tries to minimize utilizing processed foods.
Suggested daily meal donation is $4 for Seniors 60+ with a $6.50 cost per meal for ages under 60. Reservations are required and can be made up until 9:00 a.m. of the day before you would like to have lunch, by calling (760) 943-2258. Check-in for lunch between 10:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Lunch is served at 11:40 a.m. We look forward to serving you!
To speak with the Nutrition Coordinator please call 760-943-2257. Find the current lunch menu under “Quick Links” on the top of this webpage.
The Encinitas Parks and Recreation Café is supported by the Older Americans Act Grant Funds, awarded through the County Aging and Independence Services and supported by the City of Encinitas and general meal donations. No eligible person shall be denied a meal because of failure or inability to contribute.
Transportation
Transportation is an important element to living well and living fully. There are several transportation options available.
Out & About Transportation Program
Volunteer drivers take Encinitas senior citizens to the grocery store, doctor appointments, pharmacy, Senior Center, and many other locations in Encinitas.
Volunteer Drivers are always needed!
The volunteer requirements for this program are a few hours of free time a week, a current driver’s license, registration, insurance, background check, and a DMV driving record. The Senior Center pairs a volunteer driver with a passenger that would benefit from the days and times that the volunteer driver is available. There is a waiting list of seniors in need of a volunteer driver, so we welcome anyone interested in “giving back” to the community to apply.
Volunteer driver information and procedures:
- The volunteer driver will transport eligible senior citizens in their private vehicle.
- Boundaries include all of Encinitas/Cardiff. The volunteer driver may also travel to Carlsbad and Solana Beach to approved medical facilities and government agencies. The volunteer driver will also be permitted to travel to San Diego to an approved accredited medical facility.
- The mileage reimbursement begins when the passenger is in the volunteer driver’s vehicle.
- The volunteer driver will receive the current annual IRS rate, per mile, per month, not to exceed 100 miles per month per passenger.
- The volunteer driver will log the monthly mileage and return it to the Encinitas Senior Center office after the month is completed.
- Checks are issued to the volunteer driver in approximately 2-3 weeks.
- Travel arrangements are made between the volunteer driver and the passenger, based on the driver’s availability.
- All information about the passenger is to be kept confidential.
Out & About Driver Application (PDF)
For Out and About Transportation Program information, contact: (760) 943-2256
Nutrition Transportation Program
The Encinitas Senior Center’s Nutrition Transportation Program is for Encinitas residents who are interested in attending lunch at the Encinitas Parks and Recreation Cafe. Seniors will be picked up at home before lunch and dropped off after lunch.
For Nutrition Transportation Program information, contact:
Nutrition Coordinator at 760-943-2257.
Nutrition Transportation Program Application (PDF)
Additional Transportation for Seniors
NCTD Breeze Bus
NCTD Coaster
Jewish Family Services On The Go Transportation Solutions
San Diego Eldercare Directory
The Eldercare Directory, published by the San Diego Union-Tribune, provides facts, advice, tips and resources to help you find answers to the questions that arise as you age. You will find information about housing, nutrition and finances. In addition, the directory offers listings on housing alternatives, getting help at home and health care services. Also included is information that caregivers might find useful. The directory is free and available at the Encinitas Senior Center to help you make better informed choices, or visit www.SanDiegoEldercare.com. The Encinitas Senior Center does not endorse or recommend any of these agencies.
Encinitas Senior Foundation
The Encinitas Senior Foundation, producers of the successful Encinitas Follies fundraising efforts for eleven years, has closed its doors. Their final act was to contribute the balance of their remaining funds to the Senior Transportation “Out and About” program. The Foundation was established in 1997 to initially promote the construction of the Encinitas Senior Center. Once completed, their goal was revised to support senior activities at the Center. The Foundation contributed equipment and in-kind contributions in excess of $140,000.
City of Encinitas Senior Citizen Commission
The Senior Citizen Commission consists of seven members who are registered voters of the City of Encinitas. The role of the Commission is that of an advisory board to the City Council to research and address senior citizen concerns. As representatives of senior citizens, the Commission works on projects to improve the quality of life for Encinitas Seniors. The public is welcome to attend the monthly Senior Commission meetings at City Hall on the third Tuesday of the month at 2:00 pm. Please note the Senior Citizen Commission is dark July, August and December.
Click here to visit the City Commission Page
Sponsorship
The City of Encinitas Senior Center is proud to offer a variety of services which serve our senior citizens. If you would like to sponsor one of the many events download the Encinitas Senior Center 2020 Sponsorship Brochure, developed to provide useful information for those interested in supporting and sponsoring these important functions for the senior population in Encinitas.