Senior Services Program Suspended In Stratford Due To Coronavirus

STRATFORD, CT — Stratford Senior Services has suspended the Community At-Risk Elderly Services program indefinitely out of concern about the spread of the coronavirus.

The C.A.R.E.S. program, which has been ongoing at the Senior Center for many years, is an activity-based adult day program designed for seniors who are physically frail or have a memory impairment, but are not yet in need of a medical program. C.A.R.E.S. provides therapeutic recreational activities within a supervised and structured environment.

"It is a difficult decision to suspend a great program like C.A.R.E.S. when it does so much for the seniors enrolled in it," Mayor Laura Hoydick said in a news release. " ... We will be enhancing our outreach program and reorganizing staff in Senior Services to accommodate this new reality, and filling in any service gaps that arise with new alternatives. We are all looking forward to a time when we can once again have the same level of personal interaction with and between the seniors we assist, but until then, their health and safety must remain paramount."

Senior services and health department officials, in conjunction with the mayor's office, have concluded that the risks associated with restoring the program are too great, considering the target group served by C.A.R.E.S. is at particularly high risk of serious and potentially life-threatening medical complications should they contract COVID-19.

"Our dedicated Senior Services staff continue to make wellness calls, organize Zoom meetings and activities, and sponsor Friday Treats drive-through," Director of Health Andrea Boissevain said in the news release. "We also continuously review best practices and the Governor's guidance so that we are always best serving our senior population."