VCAAA UPDATE 3/13/2020 – COVID-19

VCAAA UPDATE 3/13/2020 – COVID-19

A MESSAGE FROM THE VENTURA COUNTY AREA AGENCY ON AGING:

As you likely know, the County of Ventura declared a local state of emergency last night due to COVID-19 (Coronavirus).

Important Facts to Know:

• There are currently 5 travel related cases of COVID-19 in Ventura County. Four of those cases are pending confirmation from the CDC.
• As of 3/13, 112 people have been tested by the Ventura County Public Health Lab
• 25 travelers are on home quarantine in Ventura County
• Currently there are no known person-to-person transmissions.

An additional critical fact: Ventura County Public Health has also suspended any visitors from entering long-term care facilities. Older adults, especially those with compromised immune systems and underlying respiratory conditions, remain among the most vulnerable populations.

All operations at the County level will remain in place with some changes implemented to keep staff, clients, and the community as a whole as safe and healthy as possible. Those changes include:

• Social distancing – asking all individuals to keep a 6-foot distance between themselves and others.
• Requesting that all individuals experiencing any kind of illness stay home.
• Canceling and/or postponing events that include 250 or more people.
• Canceling and/or postponing any events, trainings, classes, etc. that are not time sensitive.
• Identifying and establishing the option for staff to work remotely (when feasible) to lessen person-to-person contact.
• Increasing the frequency of sanitization of offices.

The VCAAA is implementing all of the above-mentioned practices. All VCAAA services will remain operating at this time, with the exception of SNAP-Ed classes and in-person nutrition counseling. In addition, tax preparation services offered through AARP Tax Aide have been suspended indefinitely. Specific health and safety procedures for VCAAA programs include:

• Fall Prevention Classes –all Fall Prevention Program classes will continue operating, but will be limited to no more than 10 people. Instructors will be implementing a 6-foot distance between all participants. Instructors will also ask participants who are immune compromised to stay home until it is deemed safe for them to return to class.
• Senior Nutrition Counseling Services and Classes – In-person nutrition counseling and SNAP-Ed classes have been canceled. The VCAAA is currently exploring options for nutrition counseling via phone.
• Senior Nutrition Program Meal Sites – Please see below for information related to the Senior Nutrition Program meal sites.
• Care Management Programs – The VCAAA is working to identify clients who might be facing isolation due to the health emergency to ensure that they have the food, supplies, and necessary support.

Please be sure to emphasize to clients that while many community and senior centers, as well as other service sites, are temporarily closing, the VCAAA’s office will remain open and the Information & Assistance team will be on hand to answer calls and assist clients as they navigate these difficult times. 

Current Status of Ventura County Senior Centers and Senior Nutrition Program Meal Sites:

• Brenda’s Casamia (Piru): Operating as usual with no interruption to meal services. For more information call (805) 521-0694.
• Camarillo Health Care District: The District remains open, but many classes and programs have been canceled. Clients are encouraged to call for specific information. Home delivered meal services will continue without interruption. The District offers a congregate meal option on the third Thursday of each month, which has been canceled. A pick-up option is available until further notice. For more information call (805) 388-1952.
• Fillmore Active Adult Center: Operating as usual with no interruption to meal services. Social distancing is being implemented. For more information call (805) 524-3030.
• Goebel Active Adult Center: Closed indefinitely. Congregate meal participants will have the option to pick-up a meal daily. For more information call (805) 381-2744.
• HELP of Ojai: All older adult activities have been discontinued indefinitely effective 3/16/2020. Congregate meal services will be discontinued but home delivered meals will continue as usual. No pick-up option is available. For more information call (805) 646-5122.
• Moorpark Senior Center: Closed indefinitely. Home delivered meal services will continue with no interruption. Congregate meal participants will have the option to pick-up a meal daily. For more information call (805) 517-6261.
• Orvene S. Carpenter Senior Center (Port Hueneme): All programs and events have been canceled, but doors will remain open. There will be no interruption to home delivered meal services. A pick-up meal service option is also available. For more information call (805) 986-6542.
• Palm Vista Senior Center (Oxnard): Closed indefinitely. For more information call (805) 385-8163.
• Pleasant Valley Senior Center (Camarillo): Center is closed through March 31st. No VCAAA meal services are offered through this center.
• Santa Paula Senior Center: Closing indefinitely as of 2 p.m. 3/13/2020. Home delivered meals will continue to be delivered. Congregate meal participants will have the option to pick-up a meal daily. For more information call (805) 933-4226 ext. 356.
• Simi Valley Senior Center: Closing indefinitely as of 3 p.m. on 3/13/2020. Home delivered meals will continue to be delivered. Congregate meal participants will have the option to pick-up a meal daily from 11:30-12:30 Monday through Friday. For more information call (805) 583-6363.
• South Oxnard Senior Center: Closed indefinitely with no interruption to home delivered meal services. Congregate meal participants will have the option to pick-up a meal daily. For more information call (805) 385-8042.
• Ventura Avenue Active Adult Center: Operating as usual with no interruption to meal services. For more information call (805) 648-3035.
• Wilson Senior Center (Oxnard): Closed indefinitely with no interruption to home delivered meal services. Congregate meal participants will have the option to pick-up a meal daily. For more information call (805) 385-8o28.

Food Share Update:

• Food Share is operating as usual and is providing continued support to area agencies and organizations. If your site is in need of food, or if you know a group or organization that can benefit from Food Share’s services, please call (805) 983-7100. For a list of food pantries throughout Ventura County that are not part of the VCAAA’s Senior Nutrition Program, please visit https://foodshare.com/findhelp/.

Current Status of Adult Day Care Facilities and Other Centers:

• Advanced Adult Day Health Care (Simi Valley): Operating as usual. For more information call (805) 526-7629.
• Among Friends (Oxnard): Operating as usual. For more information call (805) 385-7244.
• Millennium Care Adult Day Health Care Center (Simi Valley): Operating as usual. For more information call (805) 583-0859.
• Oxnard Family Circle: Operating as usual at this time. For more information call (805) 385-4180.
• Senior Concerns (Thousand Oaks): Closed until further notice effective 3/16. Main phone lines will be answered 10-3 daily.  All seminars, support groups, etc. will be suspended or moved to phone. Staff will be communicating with families regularly to assess needs. For more information call (805) 497-0189.
• Ventura Adult Continuing Education (VACE): All classes are canceled until further notice.
• Ventura County Adult Day Health (Oxnard): Operating as usual. For more information call (805) 278-4321.

Current Status of Dementia Friendly Ventura County Memory Cafes: 

• Camarillo Artful Connections: The Camarillo Health Care District remains open, but many classes and programs have been canceled. For more information call (805) 388-1952.
• Fillmore You Are My Sunshine: Operating as usual. Next Café is not until September.
• Oxnard Garden of Memories: April 11^th Café is canceled.
• Simi Valley Memory Cafe at Sunrise Wood Ranch: April 5^th Memory Café is canceled.
• Thousand Oaks Senior Concerns Cafe: All events are suspended until further notice.

Quick reminder that www.vcemergency.com is the best source for local updates related to COVID-19. A COVID-19 hotline has been established for immediate concerns. That number is: 805-465-6650. There is a vast amount of information available through VCEmergency.com, including print resources, videos, guidelines, and additional facts and resources related to closures.

If you haven’t already done so, be sure to follow the County of Ventura and Ventura County Area Agency on Aging on social media for updates that are shareable with the community. These updates are also accessible to the public at www.vcaaa.org/news-events/.