The Peg Taylor Center in Chico is seeking community support to remain open

CHICO, California – A longtime social and wellness center that caters to older adults is facing financial uncertainty and looking for community support to keep its doors open.

The Peg Taylor Center for Adult Day Health Care, open for nearly 40 years, announced this summer that it would close for financial reasons, but now it is reversing course. Board members say it costs about $1 million to operate annually.

“The city and a lot of … people have come forward to help us and find a way to develop a business model that will allow us to survive in this environment. And that’s what we do,” said CEO Orval Hughes.

The center offers its participants a variety of social and nutritional services, medication management, and physical and occupational therapy, among other services, but one of its most important services is socialization, according to 93-year-old Phyllis Cantwell.

“The camaraderie and actually the knowledge that you get from other people and just being a little bit more social than if you were sitting at home watching TV all the time,” she said.

Hughes and board secretary-treasurer JillAnchordoguy say they invite anyone who might be interested in registering a family member to visit.

“After we reopened, we thought, okay, the transfer will go back to what it was, but they were really slow, they really leaked, so we had to use up our reserves,” Anchordoguy said. “See what we have to offer. It could be something for a parent, a spouse, or an uncle, and we’ll move on. That is our goal.”

Further information and a link to donate can be found online.

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