Nearly 15 vendors from across Southwest Georgia gathered Friday in Decatur County to give seniors information on adult protective services, hospice care, nutrition and more a one-stop shop for seniors to ask questions on all th ings regarding health and wellness.WATCH FULL REPORT BELOW: Sowega Council on Aging hosts Regional Senior Resource Fair to connect seniors with food and health resourcesThe Southwest Georgia Council on Aging, also known as Sowega Council on Aging, organized the event as part of its ongoing effort to connect seniors with local resources that improve access to healthy foods and support healthier aging."This is a massive 14-county region that Sowega Council on Aging covers, and we know everybody can't find resources in their community. So, what we do is we hunt for the best resources for our seniors," Samantha Helton, Special Initiatives Manager, said.Heart disease is the leading cause of death for neighbors over 65 in Decatur County, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Poor diet plays a major role in heart disease, and having access to proper nutrition is something Sowega Council on Aging prioritizes.For Bainbridge neighbor Ethel Wills, eating healthy is something she knows she needs to do but the cost is a hindrance."I try to do healthy foods. And you know what they are. It affects your heart and different organs in your body. You know what they are. But at times, you just can't afford those items," Wills said.Helton said the organization's Senior Hunger Coalition works to close that gap."We want to make sure through our Senior Hunger Coalition that we have resources available like our farmer's market, like our congregate meal program or our more traditional home-delivered meals program or our emergency meals that we provide when someone is in crisis so that way they do have access to good nutrition," Helton said.Sowega Council on Aging continues to connect seniors to local resources, bridging the gap between access and availability.This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.Want to see more local news? Visit the WTXL ABC 27 Website.Stay in touch with us anywhere, anytime.Like us on FacebookFollow us on Instagram and X. ...read more read less