Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Chesco residents told to ‘Stay home, stay calm and stay safe’
Health care professionals may conduct virtual visits, Department of Aging sets mandates for senior centers, releases information packet on government resources prior to crisis
On March 18, during a press conference by the Health Department for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Sec. Rachel Levine advised citizens to continue to wash their hands as one key tool to combat Corona.
“Stay home, stay calm and stay safe,” Levine said.
East Bradford resident Mary Sue Boyle is concerned. She said she is worried for senior citizens in Chester County in self-isolation and the depression that can arise from that.
Boyle sits on the Advisory Council to the Department of Aging, composed of independent Chester County citizens who run senior centers and advocates of the senior citizen community and church congregation members.
“We want people to not feel afraid to reach out and ask for help,” Boyle said of the senior citizen community. Like many on the council, Boyle is an independent voice working as a volunteer trying to assist those in need to ensure the quality of life for seniors.
“Many are in self-isolation,” Boyle said of senior citizens in Chester County. “Many are alone. Many are not being tended to by their families. They watch the news and they see empty shelves. Their fear is they may go without food. They may become depressed by the news, trying to stay healthy, trying to stay selfisolated.”
There are no grocery stores delivering food, materials and prescriptions to senior citizens for fee or without fees. For many living on social security checks alone, that equates to a hardship.
Boyle recommends that people call their neighbors who are senior citizens and also talk to them through windows. “Just to say, ‘Hey, how are you doing? Do you need anything?”
Boyle said she hopes this can bring the community together in a positive spirit to help one another.
“You can reach out to a senior,” Murphy said. “Stand six feet a part. Find out what their phone number is and then schedule a time to reach out to them, just to check on them. And provide your phone number as well, in case they’re feeling a little bit anxious, they can reach out on you.”
More waves
There is more waving happening as people in
Pennsylvania conduct a new normal, the notion of ‘social’ distancing.
Assisted living facilities suspended visitations from the public at nursing homes across the commonwealth.
And although long-term facilities for senior citizens are taking precautions to combat coronavirus by limiting visitations to residents, many are still finding ways to check in.
Jenner’s Pond resident James Chester’s family, including his daughter Kady Wolfington, granddaughter Madison Wolfington and son-in-law Tom Schindler visited him on March 18. His family stood on the grass and waved and smiled, while the community saw him through the glass.
“We’re being very vigilant,” said Barbara Croyle, executive director of Jenner’s Pond. She called the crisis a very fluid situation.
Jenner’s Pond Retirement Community, in Penn Township, and Friends Home in Kennett Square Borough, have family visits daily to check in on their loved ones, waving, ‘Hello’ through the windows. Both establishments are located in Chester County.
“We’ve just been staying amongst ourselves,” said Christine McDonald, executive director of the Friends Home. “Our residents are able to be a part of the group activities within our home here.”
She said there’s been no visitors to see family members inside the facility since the crisis began.
“And that’s been tough,” she said.
Telemedicine sessions
Announced Wednesday by Sec. Boockvar of the Pennsylvania Department of State, health care professionals licensed under any of the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs (BPOA) licensing boards may now offer services to patients via telemedicine — live virtual sessions — during the coronavirus emergency.
“Telemedicine provides health care professionals flexibility to continue treating their patients while following best practices on social distancing as outlined by the Department of Health,” Boockvar said.
This new rule applies to 15 state boards: • Chiropractic; • Dentistry; • Medicine; • Nursing; • Optometry;
• Pharmacy;
• Podiatry;
• Psychology;
• Osteopathic Medicine;
• Nursing Home Administrators;
• Occupational Therapy Education and Licensure;
• Physical Therapy;
• Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors;
• Examiners in SpeechLanguage Pathology and Audiology;
• Veterinary Medicine. Additionally, the Pennsylvania Department of State said it is working with the governor’s office, the Department of Health and Department of Human Services to identify regulations and requirements eligible for suspension to give medical providers and facilities the flexibility they need to respond to the crisis.
The Pennsylvania Department of State added that Gov. Tom Wolf granted its suspension request to allow licensed practitioners in other states to provide services to Pennsylvanians via the use of telemedicine, without obtaining a Pennsylvania license, for the duration of the emergency.
Senior centers
Earlier in March, the Pennsylvania Department of Aging released COVID-19 guidance to the Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) pertaining to operations of more than 500 affiliated senior community centers operating statewide.
“We will continue to engage with them to meet their informational needs, receive input and offer guidance,” said Aging Sec. Robert Torres.
Although senior centers have closed to the public across the commonwealth, and many have shut down, they are still calling registered members to check in. Further, some remain open to prepare and offer congregate meals via drive up and curbside services. A central activity at many centers is the offering of congregate meals. Services should include: • Offering meals as a take-out meal that participants can pick up;
• Packaging and delivering meals to participants’ homes;
• Offering shelf-stable, frozen and grab-and-go meals;
• Enrolling participants in the OPTIONS Program for in-home meal service.
“Participants are to be offered an alternative means to receive a meal and be provided information … if they need additional assistance or services,” said Torres. “We are committed to ensuring that the delivery of services to older adults, particularly in the vital area of meals, continues unabated,” he said, adding it was key to protect the health and safety of others including senior center staff.
In other news, Torres released the 2020 Benefits and Rights for Older Pennsylvanians, the commonwealth’s “premier guide for information and resources” serving older adults on the state, county and local levels. It was printed in February.
“Many older Pennsylvanians are unaware of what’s available to them as they continue to age in their community and their home,” Torres said.
Department of Aging is proud to offer this free guide to all older Pennsylvanians as a way to assist them in living happy, healthy lives.”
Seniors may call their respective county departments of aging for further assistance, including for information on the crisis and requests for needed household items from food to pet supplies.
Pets source of companionship
“Seniors love their pets,” said Boyle, the Pennsylvania advocate for senior citizens. “Pets are very good companions.”
Some seniors may run out of pet food during this crisis. She encouraged neighbors to ask senior citizens if they need assistance on this end.
On March 14, the West Chester Senior Center handed out supplies for dogs and cats. The county director of Aging Services credited state Sen. Andrew Dinnaman’s Pet Food program that ensured the shelves were fully stocked with dog and cat supplies prior to the crisis impacting Pennsylvania last week.
Many seniors who live alone have dogs as companions from kittens to puppies and from cats to dogs.
“Pets are therapeutic and that’s been proven through studies,” said Sandra Murphy, director of Aging Services for Chester County. “The majority of our seniors do have pets.”
If a senior is running out of pet food, Murphy said there is help available.
“They can call us,” Murphy said. When a senior calls requesting help to ensure their animals have enough food during this crisis, the county can put them in touch with Dinnaman’s Pet Food program.
“We’ve seen through trying times before, like Superstorm Sandy, H1N1, and fires — pets come first. Seniors refuse to move unless their pets are taken care of and we support that,” Murphy said.
She added that Dinnaman has been a huge supporter of seniors with pets.
The senator’s pet food program is called Henry’s Helping Paws and provides food to the pets of senior citizens. It was launched in March 2016. Meals on Wheels in Chester County is a partner organization.
The program delivers pet food directly to senior centers so that they can keep on caring for their pets, and was named after Dinniman’s late poodle, Henry, who passed away in 2014.
“I am grateful that Henry’s Helping Paws can continue to provide assistance to our senior citizens’ pets in this trying and difficult time,” said Dinniman, D19th, of West Whiteland. “While we fight through this unprecedented period, we are working on providing innovative, safe, and beneficial solutions.”
For more, visit www. pa.gov.
To read an online copy of the 2020 Benefits and Rights for Older Pennsylvanians, visit www.aging. pa.gov/publications/benefits-and-rights.