Although the Sedalia Senior Center is closed to in-person meals and activities, it is still committed to serving Pettis County’s older adults through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Care Connection for Aging Services said in a news release the center, 312 S. Washington Ave., provides curbside pickup of meals for adults ages 60 and older Monday through Friday. Plus, it still offers home-delivered meals for seniors.
Center Head Cook and Coordinator Machele Thierfelder told the Democrat this week they serve close to 186 older adults in Pettis County with home delivery. She added through the pandemic the center hasn’t stopped services for seniors but has continued to meet their needs.
“We’re still providing contactless delivery,” she explained. “This week we went back to every day delivery versus once-a-week delivery.
“So, the seniors are getting meals every day now,” she continued. “We’re also providing recreation still to our seniors in the form of ‘Cabin Fever Cures.’”
When volunteers deliver meals to seniors they also provide a “recreation piece put together by the central office” that has crossword puzzles, recipes, brain teasers and other items to keep their minds motivated while they are home.
“We are also providing telephone reassurance, to make sure none of our seniors are suffering from depression,” Thierfelder said. “We can’t see them, but we still want to keep in contact with them.”
Phone calls are made by Thierfelder and the other staff members, while Regional Ombudsman Director Christina Kanak provides nursing home residents with advocacy and information for administrators, staff and family. Kanak can be reached at 800-748-7826.
Care Connection stated it has also increased its online programming to include anything from bingo games to sessions on nutrition, Medicare, legal issues and other topics.
Thierfelder said it’s been 51 weeks since the shutdown and it’s been difficult for everyone not to interact with the center’s seniors in person.
“But, we are still here for them, we still have contact with them,” she noted. “It's just been hard not to see them, we really miss them.”
She added they “can’t wait” to see their seniors.
“We are working to get back open,” Thierfelder said. “We are following CDC guidelines and we are working to get back open.”
To reserve meals at the Sedalia Senior Center, call 660-826-0713. Thierfelder is at the center from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Care Manager Joy Guymon also provides services by phone. Guymon provides assistance and information about Medicare, housing, supplemental food assistance and helps with the costs of prescriptions and medical premiums for seniors.
