Senior centers around the Columbia Basin reduce activities, close

Normally the tables at the Moses Lake Senior Center are full at lunchtime, but not this week.

Jackie Chase, a longtime senior center member and volunteer, said the senior center closed March 7 in response to the arrival of the COVID-19 virus.

“We were one of the first ones to shut down,” she said.

Amanda Argento, the senior center’s cook, said the weekday lunch usually drew about 25 to 30 people and a few more on Fridays. With the closure, the senior center switched over to serving takeout.

“Drive-by,” Chase said.

Eight to 10 people are picking up the takeout, a lot fewer than who used to drop in for lunch.

“I miss seeing them all,” Argento said.

According to statistics from the Washington Department of Health, most of the fatalities from the novel coronavirus are senior citizens. That has compelled seniors, and the places where they congregate, to change their routines.

Seniors can pick up a hot lunch from the Moses Lake Senior Center from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The center’s home delivery routes are still operating, and people who want a meal delivered can contact the senior center to make arrangements. Officials are asking people to call ahead.

The virus outbreak caused the senior centers in Othello, Ephrata and Quincy to close also.

Ephrata Senior Center director Kathy Anderson said its staff is making takeout meals like the Moses Lake center.

“We are preparing soup and sandwiches,” she said.

Seniors are asked to call ahead by 11 a.m. to ensure a lunch, with pick-up between noon and 12:30 p.m.

Othello Senior Center director Pamela Stelter said the center is not serving lunch.

“We’ve closed it completely down,” she said.

The next step will be a thorough cleaning, with the goal of reopening April 1.

Quincy Senior Center officials didn’t return a call asking about their plans.

Moses Lake center director Marilyn Stewart said meals play an important part in the social life of some of its regulars. And senior center members are also friends of the staff.

“We’re calling our seniors that we see on a regular basis, and our home delivery drivers check on their people,” Stewart said.

Stelter and Anderson said they too check on some of their regular lunch crowd.

“If everybody is checking on their neighbors, or their senior friends — let’s just keep an eye on them and do what we can to help them,” Stewart said.