Senior Center staff rolling out red carpet next week
The Senior Center is opening its doors to seniors on May 3 for the first time in 14 months, offering a variety of programs and events in a limited capacity.
“We are very excited to get back to the new normal,” said longtime Executive Director Joan Goodwin.
On May 12, they will be celebrating Old Americans Month with a “wonderful” grab-and-go event, Goodwin said.
“Our seniors will be greeted by Sheriff Lou Evangelidis, Senator John Cronin, state Rep. Michael Kushmerek, and Mayor Stephen DiNatale,” she said. “We are so fortunate to have many of our local dignitaries hosting this event and honoring our senior population.”
Hot dogs, chips, water and ice cream will be available for up to 100 people at the graband-go event.
“I am so happy this event
came together,” Goodwin said. “It gives our seniors something to look forward to and so say hello to our appointed officials.”
The Senior Center closed to the public on March 16 last year. Since then, Goodwin, staff, and volunteers have remained busy providing services to seniors in a way that people have grown accustomed to during the pandemic — socially distanced, virtual, and grab-and-go style.
“The maintenance staff and I came into the office every single day, as we could isolate inside,” Goodwin said. “I needed that normalcy and the routine of coming into work to keep myself productive and in a routine. I also needed to be safe as I have both of my parents and my own family to be concerned about.”
Clerk Jennifer Brennen, Mike Brown, who does maintenance, site manager Sally Brown, receptionist Kathy Deery, and the army of 26 volunteers have been instrumental in keeping the connection with seniors going, Goodwin said, especially in the wake of losing their program coordinator last year due to budget constraints.
“My staff has been incredible during this difficult time,” Goodwin said. “They took their role to another level making sure all phone calls were answered. Many times, they were the comforting and supportive voice that seniors heard when they called. They mean the world to me. The bricks and mortar don’t make this building, it’s the staff and people.”
Goodwin, who has been the executive director for 17 years, said the office staff worked from home for many months.
“We have been operational throughout this time by continuing to answer all calls from 8:30 to 4 p.m. daily,” she said. “We have been available to answer questions regarding health and wellness, medical insurance, tax prep, information, and referral. We have provided countless and continued support to our seniors during the COVID pandemic.
“I need to commend my staff Kathy, Sally and Jen for their daily hard work in navigating all the phone calls from our seniors,” Goodwin continued. “They were the voice seniors would be able to speak to and convey their worries, frustrations and fear to during this most difficult time in our lives. These ladies made a huge impact on their compassion and understanding with every call, and Mike came in every day to oversee the building operation and to keep the building clean and sanitized.”
Goodwin said they have held over 75 grab-and-go distribution events since the pandemic hit and served over 500 seniors in different capacities in December alone.
“This gave us the opportunity to see our seniors, answer any questions they had for us, and for them to get out and say hi to us,” she said.
Goodwin said throughout the pandemic, especially when COVID-19 numbers peaked late last year, they as a staff have “felt the fatigue.”
“I feel so fortunate to have staff that are so helpful and take the time to talk to these seniors,” she said.
Goodwin said they lost several seniors to COVID as well as two members of the Council on Aging Board of Directors.
“This loss has impacted myself and my staff greatly,” she said.
In addition to wading through the grief, Goodwin said it has been hard hearing about seniors having a tough time over the last year.
“Midway through the pandemic, our concern was the loneliness seniors were experiencing being isolated, not seeing loved ones, and trying to take one day at a time,” she said. “Very sad for us and very concerning. I could hear the fear, loneliness, stress and confusion in their voices. I would continue to make wellness check phone calls to those who I knew were struggling.
“I had some pretty rough moments myself in hearing the local numbers of positivity rates skyrocketing in the community but also so close to us in senior living residences and housing. That’s when we kicked
in the grab and go and had live music outside here on the porch and in the park.”
Goodwin said the support she has received from regional senior center directors and her colleagues, including Michele Morin from Sterling Village Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation, MaryAnn Melanson from The Highlands, Patricia Peterson from The Gables of Fitchburg, and Ashley Fagan of Fitchburg HealthCare in the form of meals for seniors, assistance, and encouragement has really helped as they navigate through these unprecedented times.
“They have been phenomenal,” Goodwin said. “I would hear from my colleges and what they were going through in the facilities and they never wavered in regard to what they needed to do in closing down due to the pandemic. I commend them and the staff who had to come to work every day and care for our senior population.”
Several COVID-19 vaccine clinics have been held at the Senior Center since February, vaccinating hundreds of people including seniors and veterans.
“For us it is positive to
see this part of the pandemic happening,” Goodwin said. “It’s great to see our hall being utilized by the Board of Health for vaccine clinics. The first day we had a clinic was when I felt that we would get back on track. Let’s hope we continue in the right direction — getting vaccinated, wearing a mask, and staying healthy. It is amazing to think about the history of the building, which was built in 1891 for the Massachusetts Volunteer Militia. Here we are 130 years later giving COVID vaccines in it.”
There are “lots of events” scheduled this summer, Goodwin said, including resuming chair yoga and exercise classes, coed cribbage, bingo, beginner and intermediate Spanish, writing group, movie day, and “scheduled programs of health and wellness and arts and crafts offered by our supporters in the community.”
“The seniors are so excited and looking forward to our scheduled activities and programs we will try to offer.”
Goodwin said they cannot wait to welcome seniors back and see them in person again — albeit masked and with protocols in place such as masks required, temperature and other screenings, handwashing, and contact tracing information taken.
“We are all so looking forward to seeing life in the building and seeing our seniors,” she said. “We are ready to begin the new norm here at the Fitchburg Senior Center.”
The Fitchburg Senior Center is located at 14 Wallace Ave.
For more information call 978-829-1790, visit h t t p : / / w w w. c i . f i t c h - burg. ma. us/484/ SeniorCenter, and follow Fitchburg MA Senior Center on Facebook.