An early visit from Santa, for those staying at home
CHICO » Even with a shutdown order in place, Santa Claus came early the week before Christmas.
Each day starting Monday, Santa loaded a car outside the Peg Taylor Adult Day Care Center with gifts and drove to drop off packages at the homes of the center’s members. It was an idea conceived to help bring safely distanced holiday cheer, as part of the nonprofit center’s goal to support Butte County’s adults and families vulnerable to COVID-19 due to pre-existing health conditions.
During this time, the center’s regular operations have been temporarily replaced by a “Center Without Walls” approach to ensure individuals of all ages who would normally attend the center can stay safe and connected to help, according to Diane Puckett. The center is usually open to any adult experiencing health issues such as strokes, Parkinson’s disease or other illnesses or accidents, with a complete program of care and rehabilitation.
“The entire PTC Center Without Walls team is helping Santa to bring joy through the creation and delivery of uplifting gift packages and essential items to over 100 participants and caregivers,” Puckett said.
Keeping community close
With the facility closed for much of the period since March due to the pandemic, members of Peg Taylor say they miss it but that the team has found creative ways to stay in touch with them and even keep their spirits up in hard times.
Danielle Cossu- Ferrara, 74, said “there aren’t enough words to express my gratitude,” of the center’s help.
She came to Chico years ago to care for her son after a stroke, as well as her husband. Caregiving for both was “difficult” but she found help with the center, particularly after her husband died about two months ago.
“If it wasn’t for Peg Taylor I don’t know what I would have done,” she said. Her son, Terry, 58, relied heavily on the facility before it had to close, where he would spend time with friends and get time for activities like puzzles. He also began to get more physical therapy and now even looks forward to virtual therapy sessions.
“The way they helped him, I wouldn’t even know how to repay them,” CossuFerrara said. She added that before the Santa gift dropoff event, the center celebrated Thanksgiving too, dropping off gifts for her brother to cheer him up.
Camp Fire survivors Jessica Bell, 69, said she relied on the center after she was forced to rely on her son for a home and found herself in an abusive situation.
“I had to come live with my son because I had no place to live. Having never been homeless before, it was quite a shock,” Bell said.
After getting help from Adult Protective Services, Bell had to get an in-home support worker and started receiving support from the center. She said they helped supply her with food under Meals on Wheels and with other essentials
“I get phone calls at least twice a week because of COVID-19,” she said. “They check on me and drop by.”
But also due to not being able to visit the center, volunteers find other ways to help.
“They light my life,” she said. ” They send me cards. The holidays, I was really afraid of. But the center has helped me live through this and be joyful.”
Megan Doyle said she has spent about a year of her eight years in caregiving looking after her younger sister Heather with the help of the center. She said the center helped with essential items in the pandemic like hand sanitizer and N95 masks, as well as projects for entertainment like coloring and word puzzle projects, and care packages every Friday.
It’s certainly hard for members to never see their friends or the volunteer team with the facility closed, Doyle said. She added as her sister is visionimpaired she especially relied on the center for meeting new people and staying engaged with games like bingo.
“My sister’s actually young and 26 and she has the same living lifestyle as the older people that do go there … a quarter of the age of the people she hangs out with when she goes,” Doyle said. It’s a chance to meet people with different stories and personalities — “she wouldn’t have that option if they didn’t exist.”
But telehealth sessions like physical therapy via Zoom have helped, she added. And calls from multiple employees throughout the week also help people like her sister feel connected and supported.
Still, Doyle said Heather “is looking forward to seeing how everyone is doing.”
“Heather just wants to thank everyone for all the hard work and care that goes into every week. It means a lot to her.”
And, they both look forward to when Santa would come to their front door with presents, just ahead of Christmas Day.
For more information about the Center Without Walls and the Peg Taylor Center can be reached at 342-2345.