The building was closed to the public for most of the year beginning March 16. For the remainder of the year staff worked remotely, and in split and staggered in-office shifts so we could still operate if any of us or our kitchen volunteers were exposed to COVID-19. Through it, we continued to serve older adults in the community. The Stoughton Area Senior Center rose to the challenge of the past year and succeeded in protecting the health and welfare of older adults in the Stoughton area. The following explains the creative ways we managed to safely provide programs and services to individuals needing meals, case management, durable medical equipment, information and social engagement.
Home Delivered Meals
18,077 meals served to 159 people
When Safer at Home was enacted, the County canceled our on-site meal program and switched the meal delivery program to three days a week. We also adopted a “no interaction” safety protocol (i.e., pick-up meals by the Center’s doorway, hang meals on residents’ doorknob or on a table or chair outside their door, step back and see how the person is doing, donations mailed to Center).
In July, we switched back to delivering meals five days a week. This gave meal recipients more meal variety and a return to seeing familiar drivers. Unfortunately, it also gave some people a false sense of safety and reminders of our “contact-free” policies were needed. Our motto soon turned to, “because we don’t know who has COVID-19, we must assume everyone does.” Although, the method of delivery changed for our drivers, our meal recipients continued to receive ongoing healthy meals and check-ins in a safe manner.
Case Management
3,716 instances of service, 240 people
Throughout the pandemic, our Case Managers continued to work hard and creatively to make sure people’s needs were met, especially with food and supplies. The biggest adjustment was having to work with clients almost exclusively by phone or email, although some socially-distanced exchanges were made for complex situations. Case managers were challenged with many more clients with high needs, struggling with life changes, loneliness and mental health disorders that were enhanced with the added effects of isolation. In addition to the requests for help with the annual Medicare Part D enrollment, our case managers were also asked to help individuals understand how to participate in the elections and the 2020 Census in ways That many were not accustomed.
Information & Assistance
1,809 instances of service, 507 people
Our Center continued to serve as a clearinghouse of information and supportive resources to older adults, their families, the community and agencies that serve people over the age of 55. While Case Management is usually more long-term or complex service coordination with clients, we track Information & Assistance as one-on-one staff help with isolated issues (i.e., general questions with Medicare, where to get tax assistance, connecting to other local resources, etc.). As with Case Management, this year this service was handled most predominantly by phone or email.
Kim’s Curbside Pick-up Meals
1497 meals, 298 people
In May, we began offering “Kim’s Home-Cooked Meals” for pick-up. Similar to the popular onsite meals Kim cooked every Thursday before the pandemic, these meals could be reserved and picked up two Thursdays per month. It was a popular program from the start; on average we served 100 meals/day.
Assistive Loan Closet Equipment
279 items loaned to 172 people
All throughout the year, we continued to loan out equipment such as bath benches, canes, walkers and wheelchairs on a short-term basis to individuals in our case management service area (City of Stoughton, Town of Albion and Town of Dunkirk) over the age of 55.
Volunteers
96 volunteers provided 1,422 hours of service to the Center
January – March 13: When business was usual, we had on-site volunteers serving on our Commission on Aging and committees, preparing, serving and delivering meals, instructing and leading groups, repairing and cleaning loan closet equipment, providing in-person tech help, administering blood pressure screens, working our front desk and taking care of other facility and office tasks. We also coordinated sixteen volunteers who provided medical rides through the RSVP Driver program. During this time, 96 volunteers provided 1422 hours of service to the Center.
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Mid-March – December 31: With a reduction in the services we could safely provide, our volunteer roles and policies changed to the following:
Meals on Wheels Volunteers:
Early on, we decided to heed Dane County’s recommendations to find replacements for our volunteer drivers and kitchen helpers over 60 years of age. We are so thankful to the many City of Stoughton staff, Dairyland employees and other community individuals who stepped up to assist with meal packaging and to fill our meal delivery route gaps. In June we began giving meal driver volunteers of every age the option to deliver meals if they were comfortable with our new “no interaction” safety protocol (see Home Delivered Meals). 54 meal drivers provided 1128 hours and 10 kitchen helpers provided 496 hours
COA/Committee Volunteers: Commission on Aging (COA), the Senior Center’s advisory committee, comprised of members from City Council, the Stoughton Area School District, residents of the City of Stoughton and surrounding townships continued to be informed of Center affairs and offered us advice via Zoom meetings. COA work in 2020 comprised a lot of reviewing 2019/2020 survey results and devising space request reports to explain how additional space like the Annex next door would specifically address our needs. 12 members served 65 hours
Leaf Raking Volunteers: Groups from Dairyland, LakeView Church, Stoughton Library, Stoughton High School, Boy Scouts, Triangle Troopers 4H as well as individuals and families greatly assisted older residents with yardwork both in the Spring and Fall. 24 or more people raked 20 yards
Phone Buddy Program Volunteers, Our previous Friendly Visitor Program blended into a phone-only Phone Buddy Program where volunteers would periodically check in with community members. New relationships were later referred to Catholic Charities “Phone Pals” program. 5 phone buddy relationships were established
Tech Support Volunteer: Fortunately, technology allowed those physically distanced to stay socially connected. One knowledgeable volunteer, Joyce Tikalsky kindly offered her expertise and patience in explaining Zoom connections, email set-up and sometimes printer installation—all over the phone and via a Zoom class meeting. one volunteer, 34 hours
Group Leader Volunteer: Beginning in May, we were lucky to have Paul Murphy generously donate his time to offer our participants live virtual trivia on Facebook every Tuesday for several months. Winners received gift cards to local businesses. Paul also put in significant time grilling brats for our Brat Fundraiser!
one volunteer, 60 hours
Support Group Facilitator Volunteers:
Mid-year Dorie Arkin, our Memory Loss Caregiver Support Group facilitator began leading the group via Zoom. one volunteer, 14 hours virtually; approximated 4 people in attendance monthly
Our very own case manager, Murl MacKinnon pioneered the way to offering our first exclusively phone-in Low Vision Support Group. one volunteer, 20 hours; approximately 4 people in attendance monthly
Birthday Card Writer Volunteer: Our volunteers’ birthdays were not missed in 2020 thanks to a kind volunteer with great handwriting! one volunteer, 24 hours
Newsletter Distributer Volunteer: In September, once we re-established a longer list of sites willing to take stacks of our newsletter we enlisted an energetic high school student to deliver them for us. one volunteer, 4 hours
Programming & Engagement
January – March 13: Before having to close when Safer at Home was enacted, we offered numerous activities for fitness, wellness, skill development, social and recreation. Many ongoing offerings like card and game groups, handiwork, line dancing, ping pong, creative writing, ukulele group, Wii Bowling, seminars and use of the computers, woodshop and pool rooms were free and welcome to drop-ins. Some other one-time offerings like entertainment, exercise, art, language, music or evidence-based health classes sometimes encouraged a donation or required fee. 540 individuals participated in 4,678 Center activities
Mid-March – December 31: One “silver lining” to the pandemic is it allowed (or rather, forced) our staff to take the time to fully focus on how to build and learn the systems available to better reach our most socially isolated individuals. Fortunately, thanks to technology and creative-thinking, we now have more diverse and sound programs and partnerships in place to provide more enrichment opportunities to more people. The following is what we offered…
Virtual Activities
By the middle of the year, we found numerous virtual opportunities to list on our website’s new “Online Activities” page highlighting opportunities for social interaction, fitness, wellness, and skill development. Additionally, we established partnerships to host some of our own. In May, we established ongoing Live Tuesday Trivia events on Facebook –18 in total, and Coffee with Mayor Swadley via Zoom, which took place monthly. Also, via Zoom, we hosted a Badger Talks Live: Ballroom Basics for Balance class, art programs on Vincent Van Gogh and Norman Rockwell with Michael Hecht, a Stoughton Community Meet-up facilitated by Agrace Hospice, and provided a series of gentle yoga classes through Stoughton Yoga. In September, we debuted The Selfie Project, where we encouraged participants to share photos of themselves to be shared in a collage on our website. With the help of WSTO we were also able to record and live broadcast Jessica Michna’s portrayal of Ma Caroline Ingalls in Mittens on a Tree. These events brought initial attendances ranging from 5 – 25 participants, and continue to get views on our YouTube Channel and Facebook page.
At-Home Non-Virtual Activities
We also considered ways we could reach out to those individuals in which internet activities were not of interest or available.
Handouts & Activity Bags: In the beginning, we put together informative articles, crossword puzzles, word searches, simple recipes and coloring pages to be distributed along with home delivered meals. In May we began adding them to our newsletter pages to offer more fun to the larger population. We also assembled and distributed activity bags with a variety of puzzles, coloring pages, notebooks, colored pencils and pencil sharpeners in hopes of brightening people’s days.
Phone Programs, Our previous Friendly Visitor Program blended into a phone-only Phone Buddy Program where volunteers would periodically check in with community members. New relationships were later referred to Catholic Charities “Phone Pals” program. We also advertised larger scale phone-in programs like Social Call, Joy 4 All Project, Well Connected and Mather Telephone Topics.
Poetry Corner: In August we put out a call for poetry! Participants were encouraged to mail or email their original poems to us. All were posted on our website and some were printed in our newsletter. Eight poets participated.
Time Capsule: In December, we welcomed contributions to be added to a 2020 Time Capsule to commemorate the extraordinary year. We received personal written accounts, poems, cheerful stickers, photos, a 2020 calendar, Wisconsin Department of Health Services’ Safer at Home Order, masks, gloves, empty sanitizer bottle, 2020 coins and we added various Senior Center publications.
Holiday cards: In November, we began organizing a collection and distribution of cards from community members who wanted to brighten the spirits of local isolated older adults during the holidays. 39 individuals or groups contributed 713 cards; 200 individuals received an envelope with a variety of cheerful holiday cards
Physically Distanced In-Person Activities
Once it became evident we wouldn’t be opening up as usual as swiftly as we hoped, we began offering drive-through and socially distanced events using personal protective equipment (PPE) and safe practices.
Kim’s Curbside Pick-up Meals: Although a meal service, additionally Kim’s curbside meal pickups was looked forward to as a fun social event for participants and staff alike. Each month, beginning in May, we provided these reserve-to-pickup meals twice a month. 1497 meals, 298 people
Foot Care Clinic: For the months of July, August and September we hosted Stoughton Hospital’s Foot Care Clinic until the service moved to their Community Health & Wellness Center. 77 instances for 68 participants
Reflexology: Beginning in August, Heidi Fromi offered one-on-one appointments. 38 appointments for 10 participants
Brat & Coney Sauce Fundraiser: In September we had our first drive-through meal fundraiser event, as well as made our first attempt at online sales. The event was a great success thanks to the help of our dedicated volunteers, including Tom Chose, who cooked up his family’s secret A&W stand recipes to be enjoyed once again by the community. We sold over 500 brats, 80 Chose’s Coney Sauce, 50 Chose’s BBQ, and 70 Kim’s Cheese Spread –with these sales and generous donations, we earned over $4,000!
Ageless Balance & Mobility Class: In October, fitness Instructor Ron Dorr offered an outdoor exercise class to nine masked, socially-distanced participants.
Drive-Thru Treat Pickups: We hosted a drive-thru coffee and donut pick-up for our volunteers on one morning in October, and afternoon Halloween candy and Winter Solstice cookies and cocoa events for anyone, –plus an additional holiday treat handmade by Kim for volunteers. Each event brought 50-70 participants.
Veterans Day Curbside Meal Event: On November 11, we honored our veterans with a complimentary pickup meal of baked potato soup and dessert. Non-veterans could reserve a meal too at a cost of $5 per order. 100 meals served
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance: Although the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance and Tax (VITA) program was canceled back in March due to COVID-19, we created a no-contact drop off tax site so community members could still get needed help. 40 tax returns were filed through our Stoughton VITA site.
Publications Outreach
In 2020, we extensively used our online and printed newsletter, website, Facebook page, group email campaigns, flyers to meal recipients, and outdoor digital sign to promote our latest news, services and programs.
Newsletter: Throughout 2020, our newsletters were mailed to all who paid the $9 annual subscription and provided with home delivered meals. Once Safer at Home was enacted, we had them available outside the Senior Center by both entrances and available at meal pick-up events. In April, with no on-site programs to promote, we shortened our newsletter to eight pages. In May, we added two more pages of news, puzzles and wellness activities and articles. By June, we were back to our 16-page newsletter –while, still no on-site offerings, we now had many online and safer at home engagement opportunities to share! In August we increased our newsletter mailing to over 900 addresses to reach the majority of our most active participants.The printing of our newsletter fluctuated from 1200 copies to 700 in the Spring and Summer and back up 1200 as more sites were willing to take stacks for their lobby entrance. Our e-newsletter recipients grew from 280 in January to 656 in December.
Mailings: In May we mailed a postcard to all participants within our database. It had our staff photos displaying the message, “We Miss You! Stay Safe. We’ll See You ASAP!” The goal was to let people know we were still a resource and to share our contact information. Over 900 people received a postcard.
Website: 127,000 unique visits, an average of 10,764 monthly page views
On our website, stoughtonseniorcenter.com, we created a page called online activities that now lists a variety of online opportunities within the categories of Fitness & Wellness, Class & Skill Development, and Social & Recreation.
Facebook: 448 Facebook likes/followers as of December 31, 2020
Other Notable Accomplishments
Four staff received Behavioral Health and Aging certification from Boston University’s Center for Aging & Disability Education & Research (BADER)
We reached our fundraising goal of $29,500; each year, the City requires us to cover this amount towards the Senior Center’s operational fund.
Our staff organized calls and volunteers for a Thanksgiving Day meal from Stoughton Hospital and calls for Stoughton VFW’s a Christmas Dinner
