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Date: 5/25/2021
WEST SPRINGFIELD – West Springfield Council on Aging (COA) announced it would be reopening in June on a limited basis.
Due to the pandemic, the COA has conducted some of the events on Zoom and aired them on public access television. COA Director Sarah Long added they recorded their fitness and yoga sessions on DVDs for people to stop by and grab to be able to do it from home.
Limited programming will resume inside the Senior Center on June 1. The COA has cleared out two of the largest spaces for some programs including chair yoga, tai chi, reiki and meditation, a singing group, and fitness classes.
The Friends Travel Group is set to resume as well, organizing three self-drive trips to the Log Cabin in Holyoke.
“Our travel group was super popular but in March 2020 it was put on hold due to the pandemic. The ladies are happy to be slowly getting that going again as well,” Long said.
Participants may enter the front door of the Senior Center no more than 10 minutes prior to the activity start time and must leave the center when the activity is finished. Masks are required with no exceptions. Social distancing must be practiced and classes will have limited capacities to allow for space between participants. Pre-registration will be required for all classes whether or not there is a fee for the class. No drop-in activities are permitted at this time and general use areas such as fitness, library, billiards and the cafe are not open at this time.
For anyone that needs a ride to the activities, the “Catch a Ride with Bill” van will be back on the road to pick up individuals 60 years or older to the Senior Center activities.
A few of the activities that are still restricted are playing cards, knitting and painting – anything that includes more intimate socializing, Long stated.
“May 29 when they give us guidance and direction on whether we fall into the risk population category or not, so maybe this will change,” Long said.
Indoor meals are also not included in the reopening, but they do have Meals on Wheels and the Grab n Go programs resuming June 1.
The Executive Office of Elder Affairs of the state approved conducting the Meals on Wheels as a takeout program since they couldn’t serve indoor meals anymore. It was a way for people to still get a meal without having to come in, remaining contactless.
“We don’t know at this point if the Executive Office of Elder Affairs is going to let us continue since it was just until we reopened but more information on that will come as we gain some clarity,” Long said.
There will be more information released on the reopening and any changes that may occur after the restriction lifting date.
“We are open to welcome everyone as soon as we see where a senior center might fall, on the yes or no list. We would need a week or two to put ourselves back together and the schedule to be able to open our doors back up again and have everyone back,” Long said.