Elderly residents feel sting of continued senior center closures

May 10--Although many businesses are reopening their doors in Missouri, local senior centers will remain closed until at least June, leaving the elderly population without a place for fellowship or congregation for several more weeks.

Senior centers in Jasper, Newton, McDonald and Barton counties that are operated by the Area Agency on Aging Region X are tentatively slated to reopen June 1 after a lengthy closure brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. For those who regularly visit their local senior center, the temporary closure has been hard.

Mary Forbis, 75, has attended the Carl Junction Senior Center since 1998, when she signed up as a volunteer to help deliver meals. She and her husband, Ron, normally visit the center daily and described it as a place where they can meet people from different walks of life.

"We've got everyone from retired college professors to farmers," she said. "It's been very difficult since the center closed. Everybody needs an outlet, and we need to be out among people. We need the fellowship."

Reopening in phases

For most people, the virus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. But it also can cause pneumonia and be much more lethal to elderly people and those with underlying medical conditions.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says adults 65 and older should take extra precautions against COVID-19 because they're at higher risk for developing more serious complications from the illness. An estimated 8 out of 10 deaths reported in the U.S. have been in adults 65 and older, according to the CDC.

With that in mind, the Area Agency on Aging wanted to take every precaution necessary to keep local senior citizens safe, said Charlotte Foust, resource development specialist. To reopen its senior centers, the agency will follow a three-phase plan outlined by the Trump administration.

"We have to take extra precautions to protect that particular population," Foust said. "When we have our seniors at the centers, they sit at those tables very close, and we cannot enforce social distancing. Many of them can't wear a mask while eating lunch, which is why many of them are there. We can't enforce a lot of the rules that would protect them from COVID-19 or any other illness."

Before the phases begin, states must meet criteria showing evidence of a downward trajectory of COVID-19 and influenza-type illnesses in 14-day increments. Once there is an indication of fewer reported cases and positive tests, the first of the three phases can be launched.

The first phase of the plan recommends strict social distancing and discourages gatherings of more than 10 people. The second phase requests that social distancing continue, but gatherings of larger groups are allowed. The third phase sees a return to normal business for most Americans.

Social distancing also is still recommended through May 31 in Missouri under Gov. Mike Parson's economic recovery plan.

Area Agency on Aging officials know that the continued closure is difficult for residents. For many seniors, the centers serve as an unofficial support group for those who may not have anyone else in their lives, Foust said. The centers also offer an array of activities including games, exercise classes and more.

"A lot of these seniors don't have family or friends close by, and those people they have lunch with, that's their group," she said. "It's not an official support group, but they'll meet and chat about how their week is going, so not having that face-to-face contact has been really difficult for our seniors."

Financial strain

Senior centers, like many businesses, have also been hit hard financially by the pandemic. The front doors may be closed, but the centers have still been providing daily meals to elderly and homebound individuals.

Foust said funds are depleting rapidly because the agency hasn't been able to collect donations or fees, all of which help the centers operate. Since the pandemic started, the agency has been delivering an average of 21,000 meals a month, while other recipients have been picking up meals at a drive-thru window.

The Area Agency on Aging received grants from Meals on Wheels of America, General Mills and State Farm to help fund meals during the closure. The Carthage Community Foundation also recently donated a large freezer to the senior center in Carthage to help store frozen meals.

"When people go to the senior centers and get their meal, they pay a requested donation of $3.50 per meal, but right now since they're not going to the senior center, we're not getting that back," Foust said. "We don't normally get that anyway, but because they don't have the option to pay, our funding is way down."

Tammie Lynch, Carl Junction Senior Center manager, said her location's daily meal intake has increased amid the pandemic, now averaging about 100 meal deliveries a week. The center is also facing financial issues because it has put a halt on regular fundraisers.

"One of our fundraisers last year helped us raise over $6,000," Lynch said. "Our staff has been making the deliveries because we're not allowed to use volunteers right now. We've been seeing our homebound clients as much as we can and also check in with seniors by phone."

Mental health effects

COVID-19 is not only impacting the physical health of older adults, but it's also affecting their mental health through social distancing and isolation requirements. Almost 1 in 3 older adults lives alone, and many have chronic health problems. Those factors make them vulnerable to loneliness and depression; suicide rates among those aged 75 and older are among the highest in the nation.

"Social isolation can be a risk for depression, physical illness, even mortality," said Katherine Ramos, a Duke University specialist in aging and mental health. Now, she suggests, is a good time for older adults with internet access to take free online courses and make virtual visits to cultural attractions.

For those accustomed to being more active, being confined to home and reliant on others for groceries and basic needs can be disempowering, she said. And not everyone has internet access or can utilize technology, making it even tougher to maintain relationships while social distancing.

Evelyn Clawson, 80, of Joplin, who visited the local senior center daily, said it's been extremely difficult to be isolated from her family, friends and the world over the past several weeks. Clawson said she's been going stir-crazy being cooped up day in and day out.

"It broke my heart when the center closed," she said. "I'm not used to being confined to only four walls. It's been very difficult not getting to go to the senior center to visit with people and get a good meal. The only time I get out is to walk my dog. I'm hoping I don't end up in a psych ward because of this confinement."

Eileen Hines, 71, of Carl Junction, has been trying her best to stay positive during the crisis by taking daily walks outside and working in her garden. She also plays word games with her daughter on the phone, which she says helps stimulate her mind and keeps her in contact with her family.

"I walk 30 minutes every day in the alley with my cane," she said. "This pandemic has been a blessing for me in a lot of ways because I've been more active."

Wanda Jackson, 72, of Carl Junction, is a frequent attendee at the Carl Junction Senior Center. She takes exercise classes there twice a week and is a member of the council, helping plan activities for seniors. Jackson said some of the visitors at the senior center are people she's known her entire life, and this is the longest they've gone without seeing each other.

"We're going to have a welcome party when things open back up," she said. "We're a very close-knit group. I think we've really missed seeing each other."

In an effort to help boost morale, the Carl Junction center is hosting car parades at 11 a.m. Tuesdays in the parking lot until it reopens.

"For many of our seniors, this is a big part of their day," Lynch said. "We just want them to know that we miss them and love them. They're all family here."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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