Senior Centers plan pandemic-friendly activities with grant money
Seniors could be experiencing far-off, exotic places from the comfort of Butler’s senior centers in the near future.
A recent grant from Gov. Tom Wolf gave the Butler County Area Agency on Aging a total of $33,264 to use in its senior centers, and Director Beth Herold said there are already creative ideas circulating for how to use the funds.
According to Herold, the money can be used for for COVID mitigation, improvements of renovations, technology, nutrition or market outreach in the seven centers.
Herold said one idea presented for the grant’s use is researching the purchase of Oculus virtual reality headsets for seniors to use for virtual field trips.
“We’re ordering 20 test sets; we heard about it from teachers in the school district,” she said. “For example, we can (virtually) tour Italy and then do pasta for lunch one day.”
Herold thinks virtual reality technology could open up the world for seniors.
Area Senior Centers
Butler County Senior Centers offer social facilities and lunches to individuals 60 years of age and older. The centers also offer recreational, educational and volunteer activities. Call 724-282-3008 or email AAAsenior@co.butler.pa.us to inquire about COVID-19 restrictions. Butler Address: Tanglewood Center, 10 Austin Ave., Lyndora 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday Chicora Address: Moose Hall lower level, 117 W. Slippery Rock St., 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday and Wednesday Cranberry Address: Municipal Center, 2525 Rochester Road, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday Evans City Address: Ritzert Hall, 426 E. Main St., 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday Mount Chestnut Address: Mount Chestnut Presbyterian Church, 727 W. Old Route 422, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday Slippery Rock Address: Township Municipal Building, 155 Branchton Road 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday Southeast Address: Winfield Township Fire Hall, 200 Brose Road, Cabot., 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday Area Agency on Aging The Butler County Area Agency on Aging provides information and services to help seniors remain independent in the community. The AAoA administers programs and manages services for Butler County residents who are age 60 or older. The agency is funded by the Pennsylvania State Lottery, the Federal Older Americans Act, the County of Butler, service fees and private donations. For information, contact 111 Sunnyview Circle, Suite 101, Butler, PA 16001 or call 724-282-3008.
“(By) introducing that technology, we’ll have to do some education with it so we can be cautious at first,” Herold said. “I’m excited about the possibilities to see different parts of the world and be immersed.”
The virtual reality sets cost around $400 each and would be implemented in the next three or four months, Herold said, as the staff would have to be trained on how they work.
The agency also plans to use some of the money for purchasing chairs, an enhanced cleaning of a few centers and recruitment events.
“We’re utilizing the grants toward operation costs and an older American’s activities recruitment day in May. We can do a lot more outside in the spring and summer,” Herold said. “Purchasing things easily cleaned is a good utilization of that money.”
All seven senior centers run by the Agency on Aging are open currently, though operating with limited hours because of the pandemic.
“Some of that is because of attendance and some is from staffing,” Herold said. “Currently we’re completely staffed, but it took a while to get there.”
According to Brittany Gilfillan, supervisor of the senior centers, the centers refrained from having outside speakers recently due to COVID concerns. The agency continues to have precautions in place such as social distancing, masking and body temperature checks to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Herold added attendance is down almost 50% in some of their centers, but that it’s due to multiple factors.
“A senior center population ages. (People) may not be able to come because they’re in assisted living ... it may not all be COVID-related changes,” she said. “Some people are out of the habit of going to centers.”
Herold said another contributing factor to low attendance could be the changes implemented for safety.
“It’s not exactly the same as it was, and some (people) have a hard time with change,” she said.
Gilfillan said the seniors who have continued to attend are dedicated to ensuring the safety of all who gather at the centers.
“The seniors who have been coming want to do whatever possible to keep us open,” she said.
According to Gilfillan, the schedule for outside speakers at the centers is booked through July, and there are lots of new activities planned.
“In February we’re hoping to do a movie outing. We’d like to get back to doing day trips as well,” Gilfillan said. “We’re trying to get back to normal as much as we can.”
Beloved activities like card playing and crafting are back at the center after brief hiatus, Herold said.
“We have online exercise classes through the YMCA. We’ll film (them) and post on Facebook. We’re back to playing cards, we’re limiting speakers from the outside, and we now offer grab-and-go meals,” Herold said. “We look at every activity to make sure it’s as safe as possible.”
