By Amelia Tarallo
Hometown Weekly Staff
In recent weeks, all Medfield public buildings have shut their doors to everyone except for essential personnel. This means that Medfield’s often-active Council on Aging (COA) and Center are barren of any senior visitors - not to mention most of the staff and volunteers that make things run smoothly in more normal times.
As fears of the coronavirus spread and worries of what will happen next cloud everyone’s mind, Medfield’s Council on Aging seems to be ensuring that everyone’s routine is kept as close to regular as it can get.
As the organization that serves Medfield’s most vulnerable, at-risk population for complications caused by coronavirus, the Council on Aging has strived to ensure that everyone has supplies that they need. “There are a variety of concerns, and most people just want to do what they have to do, stay home, keep busy in their home and hope and pray that this situation ends,” writes Director Roberta Lynch of the Medfield Council on Aging. “We have had calls for toilet paper and shopping, medication pick ups, books from our library… and we have done a great job in meeting every request.”
While seniors can no longer visit the Center, there are activities they can still participate in, as well as staff they can still speak to in order to solve problems they may have. “I have worked with Medfield TV to tape our Exercise For Life 1 and 2 classes to be aired on Medfield TV Public Channels, Comcast 8 and Verizon 47, beginning at 10 a.m.,” explains Lynch. Some of the exercise programs can also be found on the Medfield COA website, www.town.medfield.net/406/Medfield-COA.
Fears of low social interaction and its effect on mental well-being are also in the minds of COA staff. “We continue to reach out to seniors with phone calls and follow up calls as needed. We are connecting seniors to volunteers for our Phone Pal Program. This program will address the social isolation that this situation is demanding. Social isolation on the weekends is why I initiated the Saturday programming at the Center two years ago,” Lynch says.
Other members of the staff are tirelessly working to ensure that seniors are receiving the care and attention they need. “Susan Bernstein, Volunteer Coordinator is connecting seniors with volunteers who will do the shopping for them with, utilizing a no contact policy,” writes Lynch. “Lisa Donovan, our outreach coordinator, continues to assist individuals with fuel assistance, housing application and individual concerns they have about what is happening right now. Kathy Powers, respite coordinator, has maintained communication with all caregivers and their loved ones who are members of ‘The Club’ program. She is able to supply information and activity ideas for those home with their loved ones.”
No one knows what tomorrow will bring, but that doesn’t mean staff at the Council on Aging don’t have a goal in mind for when this is over. “My biggest concern: I simply want everyone to be safe, so that when we open up, everyone will be here to participate,” says Lynch. As the weeks go on, we can only hope that the number of new cases of coronavirus dwindle and life can resume as normal. Until then, residents can be sure that Medfield’s COA is doing its best to make sure life goes on as usual.
