Senior Action Network Monthly Meeting...

Join us for our monthly SAN Meetings! 

Every month on the Fourth Tue, 3 occurrence(s)

Current SAN members meet in person at the Senior Center.  New attendees or visitors, please email our SAN secretary and request a one-time ZOOM link access so you can be our GUEST and see what SAN is all about!

Senior Services for South Sound
May 2022 report to the Senior Action Network

by Brian Windrope

As we begin May, it is remarkable to look back on the first four months of 2022
and reflect on all the changes around our programs here at Senior Services
for South Sound. I’m happy to say that for the last few weeks, we have been
fully open our normal hours at the Virgil Clarkson Lacey Senior Center as well
as at the Olympia Center. Seniors can come in every day of the week and get
a fresh hot meal and participate in activities and programs. We are open
8:30am to 4pm Monday through Friday.
The road to this point has surely been a hard one. While we first opened our
doors after the pandemic closure in July of 2021, we were operating only three
days a week for most of the time since then. We moved to being open five
days a week earlier this year but could not provide meals in Olympia a few of
those days due to a shortage of storage space for all the Meals on Wheels
that our nutrition staff was also making! Long story short, we’ve solved that
problem and are now open normal days and hours. We’ve also recently taken
the step of not requiring masks in our centers and programs, though we do
still require proof of vaccination and booster for entry.
We are happy to say we’ve not yet had a single case of COVID originate from
our centers or programs, due in part to our strict COVID protocols. Since our
mission is to improve the quality of life for people as they age, we saw no
choice but to take the health of our senior visitors very seriously. We’ve had
seniors coming to our centers in Lacey and Olympia from far away parts of
the area because they feel safe with us. We take none of this lightly, and have
been delighted to drop the mask mandate, at least for the time being.

Most importantly, every program you know and love with Senior Services is up
and running. You can take trips again, you can sign up for classes and
activities, you can get help with your Medicare questions through our SHIBA
program, and we’ve even resumed Bingo! Let’s hope the summer brings more
good COVID news. Over 80% of Thurston County adults are vaccinated, and
this provides a level of protection for all of us that is reassuring. Get away
from the house, come join an activity in Lacey or Olympia, and remember how
great it is to socialize with other wonderful people!
Join the members of SAN at the Olympia Senior Center on June 28 th at 8:00
am* as Chris Quimby, Director of the Olympia Senior Center, answers all your
questions and provides information about all the Lacey and Olympia Senior
Centers have planned for the remainder of 2022 and beyond.
*REAR ENTRANCE