Senior Citizens Commission - Minutes - 07/28/2020

Waterford Senior Citizens Commission Special Meeting Minutes
July 28, 2020 i! | ut .
Page 1 of 2 2020 JUL 30 PH 3:99
Members Present: D. Judith Crawford, Anne Darling, Dina Lopes, Anita
Collins, Rev. James Johnson, Kathleen McNamara,
Carol Sanders, Joyce Vlaun (4:17 p.m.)
Also Present: Lisa Cappuccio, Director and Kathleen Pierce,
Assistant Director
Public: None
Call to order: Chairlady Sanders called the Waterford
Senior Citizens Commission Special
Meeting of July 28, 2020 to order at
4:02 p.m.
ll. Establish a quorum. A quorum was established.
Il. | Public Comment: No public comment.
IV. Approval of the minutes of the February 25, 2020 Regular
Meeting. Chairlady Sanders asked for additions,
deletions, or corrections to the minutes.
MOTION: Motion made by Dina Lopes, seconded by
D. Judith Crawford to approve the meeting
minutes of February 25, 2020 as presented.
VOTE: 5-0-2 (Kathleen McNamara and Anne Darling
abstained. J. Viaun arrived after the vote.
V. Correspondence
a. Thank you note for visit
b. Year-end transfer requests

Waterford Senior Citizens Commission Special Meeting Minutes
July 28, 2020
Page 2 of 2
VI. Committee Reports
a. Budget — Budget passed via Zoom meetings
b. Nominating — no report
c. Transportation — Plastic shields were installed behind
the driver’s seat in all vans.
d. Planned Giving — no report
VII. Director/Assistant Director Report
See attached, highlights included Senior Services staff
visiting seniors by van, Meals on Wheels numbers up,
and the use of Zoom technology for activities.
Vill. New Business — None
IX. Other Business — None
X. Adjournment
MOTION: D. Judith Crawford moved to adjourn the
July 28, 2020 Special Meeting of the
Waterford Senior Citizens Commission at
4:25 p.m., seconded by Dina Lopes.
Motion passed.
Respectfully submitted,
Donna F. Payne
Recording Secretary

WATERFORD, CT 06385-2886
FIFTEEN ROPE FERRY ROAD
Tor Senior Citizens Commission
FROM: Lisa Cappuccio
Director, Senior Services
Kathleen Pierce
Assistant Director, Senior Services
DATE: July 28, 2020"
EVENTS AND OPERATIONS:
Our last report discussed our recent, very successful program registration day. Two weeks later, all of
our worlds were upended. Transportation stopped, Kathy and Lisa were working % time schedules,
Donna and Barbara were home and our bus drivers were furloughed. Kathy and Lisa split their time so
that all office hours were covered. We heard from many seniors during this time. Some were inquiring
as to when we would open. The number one question was regarding the AARP Tax Prep Program. AARP
closed in March and never returned. Callers were assisted to find alternative tax preparation assistance.
At the end of May, all 4 office staff were back working full-time. Much time was spent making calls to
homebound seniors. As our finance expert, Donna worked tirelessly on closing out Fiscal Year 20.
Meals-On-Wheels exploded during the pandemic. Seniors who depend upon our transportation and
were diners in the senior café, were given home delivered meals on top of our regular MOW clients.
During March, April, May andJune of 2019, we delivered a total of 3,379 meals. During the same period
in 2020, there were 5,467 meals delivered to Waterford seniors. This represents a 62% increase.
On the 9** and 14* of July, we took one of the mini-buses and traveled around Waterford saying hello to
homebound seniors. Barbara was a bus driver when she worked for the Newington Senior Center. She
has fantastic driving skills and got us everywhere we needed to go, so appreciated. Donna and Barbara
did the hard work of mapping out our route to see as many people as possible. They did a great job. It
was wonderful to see all the smiling faces we have been missing over the last several months. Our goal
was to cheer up the seniors but | suspect that we were the greatest beneficiaries of these jaunts!
The Waterford Community Center is open for business transactions (mostly the sale of beach stickers).
We have seen a few people in the office (less than 5) in the past month. We are mostly conducting
business over the phone. Kathy has been busy processing the Rental Rebate applications that seniors
and disabled adults have been sending in the mail. We have managed to complete some Medicare
counseling over the phone.

We are using the ZOOM technology to keep in touch with our more tech savvy seniors. Kathy has
hosted “Chatty Kathy.” This is sort of a coffee klatch. It is just a chance to see each other over ZOOM
and check in and chat.
We have had a program called Brain Flex for several years. During the pandemic, | have been mailing
out a packet of puzzles and brain teasers to each of the participants on a roughly week and a half basis.
Last Thursday was our first attempt to get together over ZOOM. We went over puzzles and whatever
folks were stuck on. | then had a new puzzle to work on with them. It was a blast and we are looking
forward to our second meeting Thursday!
We are offering four different movement and exercise classes. It is going well but technology has
proven to be a challenge on both sides of the interaction. Many seniors do not have devices or do not
know how to use them. Kathy has had to provide tutoring to instructors who never thought this is how
they would be delivering their classes. We are making our way through this strange landscape we find
ourselves in. Our goal, as always, is to serve the seniors of Waterford, we are doing'just that.
Upcoming activities/events
Activities & Programs
Monthly contests and activities with Meals on Wheels (Thank
you Hearts, Remote BINGO, Scavenger Hunt)
Raised Garden Project — ongoing
Pen Pal Program w/ Youth Services. Currently, 11 seniors have been matched with a pen pal from Youth
Services.
Creativity Showcase
Ongoing “check-in” calls to vulnerable seniors
ZOOM Exercises
e Mondays & Wednesdays 1lam -Yoga
e Tuesdays & Thursdays 10 am — Movement & Dance
e Wednesdays & Fridays 9:15am — Zumba Gold
e Wednesdays & Saturdays 10am — Tai Chi
ZOOM Classes
e “Chatty Kathy” - Wednesdays at 11am ;
e “Brain Flex” with Lisa— Thursdays at 11am
e “Food For Thought” ----COMING SOON
Remote computer learning — “COOK WELL with Diabetes” 8/4, 8/5, 8/11, 8/12

DRIVE-IN Concert: 8/13 with Tom Callinan 12:30 -2pm
Drive-through flu clinic with VANSE - September
Applications for Renters Rebate through September
Applications for Energy Assistance starting in September
Medicare Open Enrollment starting in October
**All trips have been cancelled through the end of 2020
** AARP has cancelled all onsite classes & Services through 2020 (Taxes, Smart Driver etc...)
”
September is National Senior Center Month — “Senior Centers:, Delivering Vital Connections”
Considering having another drive- through event — IDEAS Welcome! ©