CLEARFIELD – A special program of the Clearfield County Area Agency on Aging is helping seniors with transportation and other basic tasks.
With the COVID-19 crisis, many elderly people reached out to the agency for help, causing the CCAAA to start a grocery delivery service and make efforts to get seniors to their important appointments.
“This service has grown significantly over the past several months for people who need to get to clinics or hospitals for testing and follow-up appointments with their medical providers,” explained Kathy Gillespie, chief executive officer of the agency in its recent newsletter.
In many ways, the pandemic put a spotlight on already-needed services.
“Actually, transportation has historically been an issue for older adults in this area. As with anything else, the pandemic did impact transportation as family and friends were isolating and may not have been able to take seniors for these tasks, particularly doctor appointments or treatments appointments,” explained Bobbie-McBurney-Johnson, director of mission advancement/public relations for the CCAAA.
So far, about 50 people have been helped by this service, many of which were assisted multiple times in 2020. McBurney-Johnson said they have driven over 3,600 miles.
These people have been very grateful to the CCAAA employees for their assistance.
“We’ve received wonderful, positive feedback from those we’ve helped!?
“One consumer told us that she hadn’t been going to her appointments because she couldn’t get there, and she thought this program was wonderful.
“Another consumer said she was so grateful to have someone there to talk to and to help her,” she said.
This program not only helps seniors get groceries, get to their appointments and receive treatment, but it also helps them get their pets to important veterinarian appointments.
Arrangements are being made to help any senior who wants a COVID vaccine to either receive it at home or get to a clinic for the shots.
Part of the funding for these services came from the state Department of Aging with additional money raised from the Adopt a Senior program. Last year they raised over $11,000 for this cause and are continuing to accept donations to support their efforts.
If you would like to contribute, you can send a check to Clearfield County Area Agency on Aging, 600 Cooper Rd., Curwensville, PA 16833. Donations can also be made online at www.ccaaa.net where you have the option of setting up a reoccurring donation.
McBurney-Johnson stated that since this is an ongoing need, the program is expected to continue past the end of the pandemic.
If you need help with transportation, call Julie Fenton, transportation program coordinator, at 814-765-2696.
The Meals on Wheels program also expanded during 2020.
“We saw a significant increase in Meals on Wheels, as the Centers for Active Living were temporarily closed — the folks receiving congregate meals at the centers were no longer able to do so.
“Also, because people were not leaving their homes, it was a challenge to maintain a supply of nutritious food.
“Coupled with the winter weather we’ve had, Meals on Wheels, the Blizzard Boxes and additional shelf stable meals have been crucial.
“Nearly 200,000 meals were delivered in 2020, which was a significant increase from years prior.”
They normally delivered over 700 hot meals per weekday, according to the agency’s Web site. The meals are made at its production site in Curwensville for distribution throughout the area.
March was proclaimed March for Meals month recently by the Clearfield County Commissioners. This is the 19th annual March for Meals which is a celebration of the program.
Meals on Wheels drivers deliver more than just food. They provide other essentials for oral hygiene quarterly and last year supplied COVID prevention items such as hand sanitizers and masks along with information on the virus.
March is Nutrition month, McBurney-Johnson explained and in the past the commissioners, district attorney and judges would deliver meals themselves but that is something they could not consider doing this year.
A special celebration with the Meals on Wheels drivers is being planed for mid-March.