Care Connection senior centers remain closed to public until at least April 6; meal delivery continues
Care Connection for Aging Services’ senior centers remain closed to the public as they continue to provide home-delivered meals, pick-up meal service and telephone reassurance to homebound adults.
These closures will remain in effect until at least April 6 district-wide in accordance with the state directives and until at least April 20 in Johnson County, Mo., home to the Warrensburg and Holden senior centers and the agency central office. Each center and the central office will follow the directives of the local county and city health departments throughout the COVID-19 containment effort.
All locations will continue to provide services with minimal staff on site and most of the others working remotely from their homes to minimize the spread of the virus.
“We are continuing to serve the most vulnerable older adults, as well as those who normally would enjoy having lunch, playing cards, or taking classes at our senior centers,” said Executive Director Diana Hoemann. “Our Head Cooks and their staff are in the kitchen weekdays preparing meals for delivery, as well as for pickup in some communities. Our Care Management team is set up remotely to provide information and assistance via telephone as people need it. We are increasing our Telephone Reassurance Program and trying to call older adults in our communities at least weekly.”
The agency has reduced its central office staff to three but still is fielding phone calls and getting messages to remote staff as soon as possible. The central office number is 1-800-748-7826.
Many centers have modified their home-delivered meal routes and are freezing meals so that they can make deliveries of more meals less frequently. These measures are to protect the older adults receiving meals and the staff and volunteers who are delivering them. Delivery drivers are practicing social distancing and accommodating individual recipients at their homes. Because only employees and delivery volunteers are allowed in centers, older adults must call ahead to pick up meals. The service is available to people 60 and older.
Center staff will work on a case-by-case basis to meet the needs of clients.
The agency has canceled or suspended exercise classes, services such as tax preparation and in-person care management, in-person educational programs, in-center volunteer activities, and fundraisers until at least April 30.
To arrange a meal pickup or delivery, or to arrange Telephone Reassurance for you or a loved one, call your local senior center during regular hours or the central office 1-800-748-7826. The agency also is making regular updates on its website, goaging.org, the Care Connection for Aging Services Facebook Page and its emailed newsletter. To subscribe to the newsletter, email kfair@goaging.org.
Care Connection continues to share information from trusted partners such as the Missouri SMP, the state Department of Health and Senior Services and the federal Centers for Disease Control. The Facebook page and goaging.org also will contain links to Internet sites that might provide entertainment, education and socialization online.
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services set up a hotline (877-435-8411) for possible Coronavirus reporting.
Care Connection for Aging Services is a non-profit area agency on aging that serves people 60 and older in 13 West Central Missouri counties, including Bates, Benton, Carroll, Cedar, Chariton, Henry, Hickory, Johnson, Lafayette, Pettis, Saline, St. Clair and Vernon.
Our locations:
Central Office, 106 W. Young, Warrensburg, 1-800-748-7826
BATES COUNTY:
Butler Senior Center, 611 W. Mill St., Butler, 660-679-5830
BENTON COUNTY:
Cole Camp Senior Center, 206 E. Junge, Cole Camp, 660-668-2352
Warsaw Senior Center/Harbor Village, 17571 N. Dam Access Road, Warsaw, 660-438-3300
CARROLL COUNTY:
Carroll County Care Connection, CCMH, 200 Lifecare Lane, Carrollton, 660-542-0399
