Hello Everyone; I hope this letter finds you all well. I wanted to touch base with you during this very unusual time to give you some of my thoughts and some suggestions.
As you probably know by now the Aurora Seniors Centre has been closed down temporarily. It is hoped that we will reopen on Monday, April 6, but that decision will be made in accordance with the situation, closer to that time. The Town made this unfortunate but necessary decision. I was consulted by them and was in total agreement. None of us wanted to make this decision but it was necessary for two major reasons. Covid-19 is a real problem. We need to protect our members from any possible exposure to the virus as well as insuring that we are not exposing our fellow citizens. It was the only responsible thing to do.
This is going to be a trying time for all of us. With so many venues closed we are all going to have to have a “stiff upper lip” and get creative in how we cope with the next several weeks. In the meantime here’s a few suggestions of how to deal with the inevitable boredom and frustration.
- Check our Website frequently. We will be updating it regularly to keep you all informed.
- Keep in touch with friends, family and your fellow members. It is important not to lose social contact. This is particularly important if you know someone who is ill or is having trouble coping. They need to know that they are not alone and that we are here for them. Phone calls, emails and FaceTime are all good ways to keep in touch. If you or someone you know needs help or are having difficulties, don’t hesitate to contact either Karie at the Seniors Centre or myself ( drdavelegallais@gmail.com ) and we will try to assist. There may be isolation but there doesn’t have to be loneliness.
- Keep up your exercise. You may not be able to play PickleBall or do Zumba for the time being, but don’t stop moving. You can download a step counter on your phone or use a Fit Bit or just count your steps and challenge yourself to do a few more steps each day.
- For all you card players there are lots of games online from Bridge to Bid Eucher to solitaire and cribbage, etc. Perhaps you might enjoy one of them.
- We expect all you creative types to show up in a few weeks with lovely new knitted outfits or beautiful sketches or paintings or any number of crafty projects our members thrive at.
- Now is the time to read those books you have been intending to get to. And isn’t this the perfect excuse to watch a movie during the day or binge on a Netflix series you’ve heard about.
- Karie and Andrew have expanded the program “Seniors Centres without Walls” where people who are feeling isolated can socialize via conference calls. Call 905-727-3123 x3614 to get involved.
I know I’m going to have as much of a problem as anyone filling my day. (Just ask my wife Linda!) The only one who seems happy is my dog Splash. She likes having me home because it means more walks and more time to bug me to throw her toy. Linda and I have made a pact not to irritate each other too, too much! I don’t think she’s particularly happy about having me underfoot all day. My biggest challenge is going to be keeping her off the Wayfair website! I am kidding of course which brings me to my last point. Let’s all try to keep a sense of humour throughout this ordeal. With the right attitude we can weather this storm with grace and a positive outlook.
This too shall pass. Hopefully we will all be back at the Centre enjoying our friends and activities very soon.
Thanks for Listening….. Dave
