From the Board of Directors:
It has been a difficult decision to determine if Delphos Senior Citizens should re-open under the recent directions given by the Ohio Department of Aging. We miss our seniors and we know that they need the socialization and services that we have to offer. We of course also need to consider their health and safety.
Since we had to close our doors in mid-March, all of our staff have continued to work. We have been providing transportation on a daily basis, for medical appointments and picking up groceries and prescriptions. We have also provided our chore service and individual outreach services. We make wellness calls and arranged telephone bingo groups. In addition, we have delivered numerous food boxes to senior citizens in the Delphos area.
One of the requirements to re-open is regular COVID-19 testing of all staff. The Ohio Department of Aging has offered to cover this cost if we participate with their contracted lab. Tests would be self-administered and so the occurrence of false-positives could be high. In the event of a positive test, Delphos Senior Citizens would be forced to completely close down for at least 2 weeks. No services could be provided at all. In reality, this could happen repeatedly over the next few months. Closing down completely for 2 weeks would impact well over 100 clients, while limiting indoor activities affects nearly 30 clients.
We feel that our transportation service is vital to this community and is the only means by which many senior citizens have to get to the doctor or grocery store. We also feel that the current safety protocols that we are following are sufficient to protect the fragile clients that we serve. For these reasons, the Board of Directors has decided that we will continue serving the Delphos community as we have for the past 6 months. We may not be able to have our meal site or activities inside the Center right now, but we can keep on helping those over 60 with transportation, mowing their lawn, filing a HEAP application or figuring out the best Medicare drug plan for next year. Many area senior centers and councils on aging have made the same decision. Hopefully soon, when testing requirements are lifted, we can welcome you all back in person to the Center.
Call if you have questions or to find out what is still available at the Center during this time. We will continue to offer our “Good to Know, Lunch & Go” programs each month as long as the Allen County Health Department gives us guidance and permission to do so. We will offer assistance with Medicare Open Enrollment this fall by telephone, or individual appointments in the office. Foot care by Community Health Professionals will resume here at the Center beginning October 13. We will gradually try to add other programs back to the schedule as the situation allows. We are trying to do what we feel is best for this agency and the Delphos community.
It has been a difficult decision to determine if Delphos Senior Citizens should re-open under the recent directions given by the Ohio Department of Aging. We miss our seniors and we know that they need the socialization and services that we have to offer. We of course also need to consider their health and safety.
Since we had to close our doors in mid-March, all of our staff have continued to work. We have been providing transportation on a daily basis, for medical appointments and picking up groceries and prescriptions. We have also provided our chore service and individual outreach services. We make wellness calls and arranged telephone bingo groups. In addition, we have delivered numerous food boxes to senior citizens in the Delphos area.
One of the requirements to re-open is regular COVID-19 testing of all staff. The Ohio Department of Aging has offered to cover this cost if we participate with their contracted lab. Tests would be self-administered and so the occurrence of false-positives could be high. In the event of a positive test, Delphos Senior Citizens would be forced to completely close down for at least 2 weeks. No services could be provided at all. In reality, this could happen repeatedly over the next few months. Closing down completely for 2 weeks would impact well over 100 clients, while limiting indoor activities affects nearly 30 clients.
We feel that our transportation service is vital to this community and is the only means by which many senior citizens have to get to the doctor or grocery store. We also feel that the current safety protocols that we are following are sufficient to protect the fragile clients that we serve. For these reasons, the Board of Directors has decided that we will continue serving the Delphos community as we have for the past 6 months. We may not be able to have our meal site or activities inside the Center right now, but we can keep on helping those over 60 with transportation, mowing their lawn, filing a HEAP application or figuring out the best Medicare drug plan for next year. Many area senior centers and councils on aging have made the same decision. Hopefully soon, when testing requirements are lifted, we can welcome you all back in person to the Center.
Call if you have questions or to find out what is still available at the Center during this time. We will continue to offer our “Good to Know, Lunch & Go” programs each month as long as the Allen County Health Department gives us guidance and permission to do so. We will offer assistance with Medicare Open Enrollment this fall by telephone, or individual appointments in the office. Foot care by Community Health Professionals will resume here at the Center beginning October 13. We will gradually try to add other programs back to the schedule as the situation allows. We are trying to do what we feel is best for this agency and the Delphos community.
The Delphos Senior Citizens, Inc. mission is to provide services to people 60 years and older that will improve their lives and help them live independently. We are a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit corporation providing services to those age 60 and older. All services are provided without discrimination to race, religion, sex, national origin, disability or financial status to those residing in the Allen, Putnam and Van Wert counties of Delphos.
Closings 2020-2021Friday, April 2 - Staff Training
Monday, May 31 - Memorial Day Monday, July 5 - Independence Day Monday, September 6 - Labor Day Thursday, November 11 - Veteran's Day Thur. & Fri., Nov. 25 & 26 - Thanksgiving Thur. & Fri., Dec. 23 & 24 - Christmas Friday, December 31 - New Year Weather Related ClosingsAll closings are put on WDOH (107.1 FM) and WLIO (Channel 4) and this website by 7:30 a.m.
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2020-2021 Board of DirectorsSteve Kemper, President
Jane Sadler, Vice President Karen Hartman, Treasurer Roger Calvelage Vern Fischer Deb Gallmeier Vicki Gossman Dan Jones Cindy Metzger Mary Jo Warnecke John Wiechart |
