April 2020

Orange County Issues a “Stay at Home” Order Effective March 27

Orange County issued an amendment to the Declaration of a State of Emergency. The amendment orders the public to Stay at Home to prevent further spread of COVID-19. The Order will take effect on Friday, March 27, 2020 at 6 p.m. and will remain in effect until April 30, 2020 at 5 p.m. The Stay at Home Order shall be reviewed periodically to determine whether it should be extended, modified, or rescinded. READ the full press release.
 
Activities at both Orange County senior centers are suspended. Essential programs continue with modification
 
For updates, closures, and resources visit the Orange County Health Department’s Coronavirus (Covid-19) webpage. 

Being a caregiver is never an easy role, but social-distancing and self-isolation can make that role even more challenging.  Even though our senior centers are closed to visitors, we want you to know that we are here to support you in any way that we are able.  Our goal is to give you the tools and resources you need to maintain your social distance, so we can all work together to protect those who are most vulnerable in our lives.

We never planned for how to support caregivers in our community during a global pandemic - so we appreciate your patience during our trial (and hopefully minimal error) approach.  If there is something you need - food, medicine, information, activity ideas, durable medical equipment, a friendly conversation - in order to safely stay at home, please do let us know.  We can't promise an immediate solution, but we will do everything we can to make sure that need is met.

Take Care,
-The Aging Transitions Team

Department on Aging Information Page
Aging Information Helpline: 919-968-2087
Aging Information Email: AgingTransitions@orangecountync.gov

Health Department Information Page
COVID-19 Hotline: 919-245-6111
COVID-19 Email Updates: sign up here.

Resources

Available resources are always changing.  Reach out to the Health Department (information above) for updated information related to COVID-19 and the Department on Aging (information above) for further information about local resources.

Food Resources:

• Senior Center Lunch - offered curbside Monday, Wednesday, & Friday (full 5 lunches provided), 12:00-12:30 for preregistered seniors at both the Seymour and Passmore Centers.

  • At this time we are only accepting new applications for those county residents age 60 and over and who can pick up a meal at either the Seymour Center or Passmore Center.  Those in group quarters will only be considered if they can identify someone to come and pickup their meal.  

• Meals on Wheels - continuing to deliver meals to seniors once a week, providing meals to cover five days of the week

• Commodity Supplemental Food Box Program - box of non-perishable food items, available for low-income seniors once per month.  Contact Shenae McPherson for more information: 919.245.4243
• Restaurants offering take-out:
  • See here for list from the Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitor's Bureau
  • See here for Durham restaurant offerings compiled by Discover Durham

• Audio Books & E-Books
  • Audible is offering free audio books, including literary classics and folk tales
  • Audio and e-books are available from the Orange County Public Library
  • Audio books, e-books, and e-magazines are available through the Chapel Hill Public Library
• Virtual Arts, Culture, and Nature Activities
  • List curated by the Chapel Hill Public Library
  • Live concert list curated by NPR
  • The Smithsonian
  • The Guggenheim
  • Bloom Cam from the Trust for the National Mall
  • The Winchester Mystery House
• Online Craft Classes
  • Brit + Co Classes - free through 4/9
  • Joann Fabric craft tutorials
• Faith Communities - many local (and beyond!) faith communities are offering opportunities for connection via virtual and phone-based methods.  Reach out to your faith community to see what supports they have!
• Activity engagement ideas complied by the Duke Family Support Program

• From AARP - "Clear-Cut Steps for Caregivers Worried About Coronavirus Exposure"
• From AARP - "How to Fight the Social Isolation of Coronavirus"
• From the Alzheimer's Association - "Coronavirus (COVID-19): Tips for Dementia Caregivers"
• From the Dementia Alliance of NC - "Mondays with Melanie - Managing Life During COVID-19"
• From the Rosalyn Carter Institute for Caregiving - "Caregiving During COVID-19 (the Coronavirus)"
• From the Emory University Goizueta Alzheimer's Disease Research Center - "Caregiving in a time of Coronavirus"
• From MindBodyGreen Health - "6 Psychologist-Approved Ways To Cope With Unexpected Losses Right Now"

Announcements

Socially-Distanced Programs

Emotional & Social Wellbeing

Music Therapy for Parkinson's

Appointments available with Ossia Music Therapy

Online Activities for Alzheimer's

Daily afternoon programs designed for people experiencing memory changes from the Alzheimer's Foundation of America
View live or archived videos on Facebook

Virtual Bookclub - The Sellout, by Paul Beatty

• Tuesday, April 28 at 6:30pm
• Call the OC Public Library at 919-245-2525 for more information

Caregiver Support Groups

• Thursday, April 9 at 1pm
• Thursday, April 23 at 1pm 
• Friday, April 24 at 10:30am 

• Tuesday, April 7 at 2:30pm
• Monday, April 13 at 2pm

• Tuesday, April 7 at 1:30pm
  • First hour - presentation from Dr. Daniel Roque, movement disorders specialist at UNC, regarding utilizing telehealth and FAQs/considerations regarding Parkinson’s and the coronavirus.
  • Last 30 minutes - open group discussion around coping with the uncertainties and anxieties of this strange time and reflecting on what is in our control.

Online Caregiver Support

• Caregiver's Corner - Locally-based Facebook Group
• Memory People - Facebook discussion group
• Family Caregiver Alliance's Online Caregiver Support Group - un-moderated email discussion board
• Family Caregiver Alliance & Smart Patients Online Community - discussion group
• SilverLinings for Seniors - now offering telehealth therapy services

• The Institute on Aging's Friendship Line is a 24/7/365 phone line for emotional support: 800-971-0016
  

Physical Wellbeing

Fit & Healthy at Home

At-home exercise options from the OCDoA Wellness Program

Pilates & Yoga for Parkinson's

Online videos from Poe Wellness Solutions

Online Rock Steady Boxing

Sam Ray, a physical therapist at Upright Athlete in Durham, will be offering online Rock Steady Boxing classes
Mondays and Wednesday; 10:00-10:45AM; via ZOOM
Fee: $10/class.
Contact Sam (sray@uprightathlete.com or 919-937-9607) to sign up, for more info, or for help getting the app ready.

 
Dance for Parkinson's At Home

Online classes and archived videos available from Dance for PD

SilverSneakers

On Demand classes, health tips, and workout videos. You will need your SilverSneakers Membership number to sign in.

Silver & Fit
Facebook Page with live and archived workout videos. Live workouts are offered daily at 1pm

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