RESUMING ACTIVITIES … Crafting at the senior centers will once again resume for those who can’t keep their hands busy enough.
By: Jennifer Ellison
One of the hardest things about the pandemic for many people was dealing with the almost overnight isolation that developed as soon as the first lockdowns were declared.
Humans are innately social creatures who need the daily interaction of their peers and loved ones, and the idea of staying indoors and away from others came as a shock, to some more than others. And very few others suffered nearly as greatly as the eldest of our loved ones in the community.
Often delicate in health and immunity, seniors posed some of the greatest risk of severe illness and death from the novel virus, to the point where they were often the most isolated of everyone.
Whether staying in the hospital for treatment, spending time in assisted living facilities, or even still at home, seniors are often already plagued with loneliness and sadness when away from their loved ones.
COVID imposed an even worse scenario where visitation is outright forbidden for their own safety. Human contact became restricted either to doctors and aides wrapped up in PPE, or else non-existent entirely.
Confined to their homes, seniors were forced to sit and wait through the lonely hours for the day when they could finally reunite with their loved ones.
And now, finally, the light at the end of the darkened tunnel is at last approaching. And for the seniors of Fulton County, life is once again about to get a little more exciting and fulfilling.
As of Tuesday, June 8th, the Fulton County Senior Centers have announced a full reopen to all seniors age 60 and up.
Director Sheri Rychener couldn’t be happier, both for her employees and the elderly people they all love so much.
In an interview, Sheri said, “It’s been a long time coming, that’s for sure. Our seniors have really suffered through this covid thing and it’s really uplifting to be able to see them back and see them well.”
When it became apparent to the staff at the centers that the seniors wouldn’t be able to safely come in for a while, they were determined to do whatever it took to continue assisting them however they could.
And while many businesses shuttered their doors and closed down for the pandemic, the centers simply adapted and continued operations. In fact, they remained as busy as ever in helpful, enthusiastic and creative new avenues designed to keep providing love and assistance to the elderly of Fulton County.
All five center locations remained fully active throughout the entirety of 2020 delivering door-to-door meals to seniors across the area. They also offered the option for drive-thru meals which guests could come and pick up contact-free.
“We have been able to serve more meals and more people than we had in the past, so that was a positive thing.” Sheri said.
As a result of being able to operate all five sites five days a week, the centers were able to deliver even more meals than they had pre-covid, allowing the staff to continue working through this stressful and difficult time.
Also unlike many businesses, the centers aren’t in any way struggling to secure staff, which only makes the reopening easier in the long run.
“We have full staff, we’ve actually been very busy throughout the pandemic, nothing has slowed down, in fact it’s probably sped up. We had to change our whole operation to accommodate this.”
Despite the success with meal delivery during the pandemic, Sheri and the employees at the senior centers are anxious to welcome their beloved guests back through the doors and beginning the true road to recovery. And they aren’t the only ones either.
The cooped-up seniors of Fulton County are excited to get back to normal as well. Previously, the centers offered fun and engaging activities for their seniors to take part in, ranging from various sporting events and line dancing to craft projects and different seasonal activities.
“They are so excited and we’re encouraged by their excitement, and quite honestly, we’re just ready to see their sweet faces back.” Sheri said.
The centers are now fully open as the restrictions have lifted across the state and are planning to resume normal hours of operations.
All seniors are welcome to attend the facilities, vaccinated or unvaccinated, and the staff plans to pay extra attention to additional sanitizing and health standards in order to preserve the atmosphere of safety they hope to rebuild.
“We will follow CDC guidelines that recommends unvaccinated people to continue to wear masks in-doors. And we’ll focus on personal hygiene and increase sanitation practices daily.”
As we move from one of the most frightening times in our modern history, we realize just how important it is to take nothing for granted.
The seniors who are getting ready to restart their lives and reunite with dear friends and family are more than prepared to embrace everything they’ve missed out on over an entire year of separation.
The pandemic has changed a lot about the way we live and move through our lives and some things will never truly return to the way they were.
But as we finally begin to enter a new chapter in what is soon to become a post-pandemic world, we can look at the happy smiles of the old and young around us rekindling their bonds with missed loved ones and realize that it won’t be long before normal is truly something we can appreciate to the fullest once again.
Jennifer can be reached at publisher@thevillagereporter.com