July 12, 2021 by Carol Britton Meyer
The reopening of the Senior Center July 12 after being closed for 16 months due to the pandemic came as welcome news to the many older Hingham residents it serves, as well as to the staff and the many volunteers who contribute to its popularity and success.
"It's been a long time coming, and we're glad to be able to bring people back," Director of Elder Services Jennifer Young said. "We went from seeing some people several times a week to participating with them in Zoom meetings. To be able to welcome actual people into the Center now is heartwarming."
Carol Buccella, who volunteers at the front desk and also enjoys participating in some of the programs, said it's "awesome to be open again. It's nice to see everyone. Life is back!!"
What she missed most when the Center was closed were the happy faces she was used to observing as seniors entered the building. "It's such a nice place to go and to meet with friends," Buccella said. "I started out as a volunteer, but when I saw how much fun people were having, I decided to join in myself. We also have a wonderful, helpful staff. I'm a walking advertisement for people to come here!"
Patricia LaLiberte, a former Scituate art teacher for more than 30 years, teaches "Drawing with Color" and "Let's Color Together" and can't wait to get back together with her students in-person soon.
In order to remain in touch with each other during the pandemic, LaLiberte would ask class participants to email her a photo of whatever they were working on, on their own, artistically and creatively -- whether art or a poem -- and then she would share them in a group text.
"Toward the end of the pandemic, when it was okay to go out, some of us met outdoors to paint," she said. "Both this and my 'Let's Color Together' group have stayed together for the entire time by remaining in contact with each other."
LaLiberte is also looking forward to participating in other in-person activities, including dominoes -- one of her favorites. "Seniors come to the Center to socialize and also to learn new things."
While remote meetings were an effective way to communicate during COVID-19, Young is glad to get back to being able to greet those who normally frequent the Senior Center in person.
That said, there were a number of benefits to holding remote meetings -- including being able to include seniors who normally were not able get to the physical center due to transportation or medical reasons and participation from former Hingham residents who no longer live in the area.
Another plus is that many seniors who previously didn't use technology to communicate learned to do so during COVID-19. "They learned it out of necessity and are now reluctant to let it go away," Young said.
The hope is to be able to offer some hybrid classes and activities -- a combination of in-person and Zoom format through the integration of technology that proved to be successful during the pandemic, and even to expand the number of program offerings through the remote option.
"This would be particularly helpful given the parking restraints we have," Young said.
Incorporating a hybrid model would allow as many seniors as possible to participate now that many of the technology kinks have been worked out and also to accommodate those who are unable to get to the actual center or who are still "COVID-cautious," Young said. "We have made great progress and achieved comfort with new technology as a way of connecting with each other."
Fitness classes will continue to be offered on Zoom until the fall "in order to integrate seniors back into the Center in a safe way," according to Young.
Alan Greenstein, who leads the World Affairs/Current Affairs Discussion Group on the first Monday of each month, is also hoping to offer a hybrid model of participation, with plans to return to the in-person format starting Aug. 2.
"It's a pretty popular program, and continuing the remote option would [allow more people to participate] and would be helpful during inclement weather," he said.
Outreach Coordinator Kathy Glenzel is "thrilled that people can connect in person again and go on with their lives" and also benefit from in-person meetings with SHINE (Serving the Health Insurance Needs of Everyone) counselors and others who provide many different services.
"The virtual programming has been wonderful, but people are eager to come back to the Center," she said.
The first programs to return will be those that have not been able to connect remotely during the pandemic. Overall, in-person programs include bridge, drop-in Mah Jongg, quilting, knitting, memoir writing, oriental rug-making, cribbage, Scrabble, and others.
Council on Aging Chair David Alschuler said everyone involved with the operation of the Senior Center "is glad to welcome back -- in person -- every senior in Hingham. Face-to-face socialization is extremely important," he said. "We value that and are glad to see people able and willing to return."
The staff is working hard to restore and to make improvements to the programs and services offered at the Senior Center, he stated.
For further information call the Center at (781) 741-1458 or check out the monthly "Central Times" newsletter.
