Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, a lot of older adults have needed to keep to themselves.
The Area Agency on Aging is providing programs that are helping them stay connected.
Through a Virtual Senior Center that can be found on the COVID-19 Information website, community members can participate in various activities.
Bingo and yoga are among the programs offered, according to a release from Prince William County.
Other events include trivia contests that are held each month and exercise classes.
“A lot of people have been just sitting around at a home for a year without much interaction. This gives them the chance to see their friends and talk with someone outside of the family,” Wellness and Fitness Coordinator Cory Cox explained in a release. “For a lot of people, this is their only source of interaction with others. This is their only way to talk to people.”
Performances and cameras that focus on animals are also featured on the Virtual Senior Center.
“The idea behind it is that 24/7, 365, you can go on and find some sort of activity,” Cox added. “Most of it is geared toward seniors, but with the National Theater performances, for example, I very much encourage them to bring their grandkids and watch the presentations.”
Each day, there are new participants, with many returning.
The virtual programs could be offered even after the outbreak.
“I see it morphing into something to accommodate people who are at home sick or can’t come into the center,” Cox said.
