The St. Joseph County Commission on Aging (COA) joins a growing list of other agencies announcing curtailments of services in compliance with an order issued Sunday by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Responding to a sharp rise in COVID-19 cases around the state in recent weeks, HHS issued the order to limit the amount of in-person interaction that takes place at a variety of businesses and public facilities.
For COA, the order means temporary cancellation of all group activities at its Three Rivers and Sturgis enrichment centers while the HHS order is in effect starting Wednesday, November 18. The HHS order expires on December 8, 2020 but could be subject to extension. Similar orders have been extended in the past when daily, new case counts continued to rise quickly.
“We are disappointed that we can no longer offer group classes, such as exercise or Bingo,” said COA Executive Director Tim Stoll. “However, the numbers are alarming, and our seniors are most at risk for negative outcomes if they contract this virus. We continue to seek the advice and expertise of our state and local health departments to help us make these decisions.”
Other services at COA are not yet affected. The agency’s facilities remain open for walk-in services, including single household exercise and computer use as well as the purchase of restaurant tickets, provision of medical loan closet needs, membership renewals, and assistance with Medicare and Medicaid enrollment. The agency will also continue to offer lunches to go, provided that orders are received by calling COA at 269-279-8083 or through the COA website at least 48 hours in advance.
Other in-home or delivery services are also unaffected at this time. COA’s Meals on Wheels program will continue providing meals to senior in their homes, and in-home aides will continue to perform their work. “The COA is committed to helping its seniors and staff stay safe and our staff adhere to all recommended safety protocols when serving seniors in their homes,” the COA press release said.
Stoll said COA staff are planning special programs and activities for December that will allow the agency to remain connected with its members, including those who are homebound. He said the agency posts exercise videos on a near-daily basis on its Facebook page, and encouraged seniors to make use of them. For members and seniors who do not use Facebook, there is also a range of videos on COA’s YouTube channel featuring exercise classes and crafts.
To help with navigation of online platforms like Zoom, Facebook, or YouTube, Stoll said COA staff are happy to help. “If you have any questions, we welcome your phone calls or emails,” Stoll said. “Just call and we are happy to help.”
Dave Vago is a writer and columnist for Watershed Voice. A Philadelphia native with roots in Three Rivers, Vago is a planning consultant to history and community development organizations and is the former Executive Director of the Three Rivers DDA/Main Street program.
