Seniors and COVID-19

LEBANON, NEW HAMPSHIRE–As the second wave of Corona-Virus creeps into its peak, many seniors are being left in the trails of destruction it has created. Without frequent socialization and lack of food security, seniors and other citizens alike are struggling to stay afloat.  Well known is the fact that even healthy seniors are at a higher risk of having fatal complications because of the virus. Quarantine and social distancing have turned senior homes into senior holding facilities where no one is allowed in or out. Lebanon has been hit extra hard in the past months. As the weather has gotten colder, so has the hope of being able to reunite with loved ones for the holidays. The local senior center was forced to close its biggest facility to the public as government officials do all they can to discourage gatherings of over ten people. Prior to its closing, the center was open all day for seniors to hang out and socialize. They offered freshly cooked meals and a warm environment to get to know people in the community. Buses that once carried seniors and food across town and to the senior center are now left vacant and unused in the parking lot. In an effort to combat the ongoing financial stress that the coronavirus has created, a group of community nurses in Lebanon has taken it upon themselves to do whatever they can to help out.

Community nurses have been serving Lebanon for many years now with the help of funding from the city hall. As community nurses, they have been visiting seniors periodically to do check-ins on their mental and psychical well-being. A majority of seniors have been afraid to leave their homes due to fears of contracting the virus. As a result, their access to groceries and immediate healthcare has been put at risk. In between visits from nurses, the community has helped put together funding for a program known as the “Grab and Go” food drive.

Jill Vahey, who is the director of the Upper Valley Senior Center in Lebanon stated that “We’ve been doing this [program] since July, and we anticipate doing it through the winter until we can actually open our doors. We usually expect to serve anywhere from 75-125 people a day depending on what’s on the menu.” The Grab and Go format is a quick and easy way for seniors and at-risk families to get food without having the stress of making their way to the grocery store. Although donations are welcomed by the nurses to support the program they understand that many who come to pick up meals may be unable to spare extra money during these times. Starting at 11:00 Am, cars begin to pull up as volunteers collect their names to track support and show demand for the program. From there the cars pull forward to a tent where they are given hot meals and various grocery items supplied by the Haven Food shelter to support them for the week. Heather Giaccone, who works as a local community nurse has seen first-hand the tribulations the people she helps are facing. She states that “Some of the biggest problems we are seeing right now during the Covid-19 crisis is social isolation and food insecurity. Both of those are connected and this facility over here used to have meals where they shared time together and shared a meal. Then that closed down with COVID and had to switch to this Grab n’ Go format.”

Through the highs and lows of Corona-Virus cases, the association of community nurses hope to continue making a difference in Lebanon through their various programs such as the grab and go in an effort to help out in any way they can.