GREENFIELD — Marcia Douglas is typically a regular at the Greenfield Senior Center. Her husband has dementia, and the senior center provides a valuable way for both of them to get out of the house and socialize.
When the center, located in the Pat Elmore Center in Riley Park, reopened earlier this year after closing for several months due to the pandemic, the Douglases were there. But now, cases of the virus in Hancock County are climbing; the center is closed again; and they are mostly staying at home.
“It’s a little bit testing,” Douglas said of the experience of continuing to self-isolate. “We have been staying home, doing the best we can, and getting out in public the least amount that we can.”
The Elmore Center, which is run by Greenfield’s Parks and Recreation Department, closed in response to the initial outbreak of COVID-19 in March, but reopened over the summer. With the second wave of the pandemic hitting this fall, it closed again recently.
“We felt like we might be a ticking time bomb,” said Kim Voorhis, director of the senior center.
Despite the concern that the center could be a major vector for potential COVID-19 infections, Voorhis said, it was not an easy decision to shut down. She was concerned about the mental health of the seniors the center serves as well. During the colder months, and with the arrival of the holidays, she was especially worried.
“This time of year is already so hard for seniors,” she said. “…When the days get shorter, it gets colder, it’s already a struggle.”
When the center was able to reopen, it resumed most of its typical activities, including card games and classes on a variety of topics, and reopened its fitness room. Social distancing measures were in place, and everyone was screened for COVID-19 symptoms before entering the center.
Voorhis was even working on forming a walking group with the Hancock County Boys & Girls Clubs that would have brought seniors and young people together to walk laps at the senior center. It was set to start the week the center closed again. Now, bringing people together in person seems much less possible.
Voorhis has tried to remain in touch with seniors who are frequent visitors, using the center’s Facebook page as well as making personal phone calls.
She’s also reaching out to other organizations that frequently work with senior citizens, such as Meals on Wheels of Hancock County and Hancock County Senior Services, to discuss working collaboratively.
Suzanne Derengowski, director of Senior Services, said the organization is continuing to work to fulfill multiple needs for seniors, including transportation to essential destinations for people who are mostly staying at home.
“Our trips are down, but we’re transporting quite a few people to places they need to get to,” Derengowski said.
Derengowski said Senior Services drivers have done an excellent job maintaining COVID-19 safety protocols. The organization is still providing other services, too, including assistance with cleaning and home repairs. Appointments for help with Medicare and tax services are available.
Senior Services also been checking in on seniors who may be feeling alone via phone call. She said many of them have been troubled by the senior center’s closure.
“It’s understandable, but I’m sure still disappointed for a lot of people,” she said.
For Douglas, self-isolating is difficult, even though she has family in town and a home health care aide who visits to assist with her husband’s care.
“It’s still very lonely,” she said.
Still, even if the center were to reopen, Douglas isn’t sure she would go back, at least while the pandemic is continuing and a vaccine is not yet available. She worries about the risk of getting COVID-19, especially for her husband, who is 84 and has COPD.
“I’m just hoping this all gets sorted out soon,” she said.