Following the implementation of new restrictions on Nov. 27, both the Moose Jaw & District Senior Citizens Association and the Cosmo Senior Citizens’ Centre have voluntarily closed their doors until further notice.
“Anytime we have to close our doors is difficult for us, [and] the part that is most difficult is that the people that come here and use our facility, this is the place they go for their community, to keep on top of things, and now that venue for them is closed,” said Cosmo representative Clara Singleton.
Timothy Eaton Gardens closed to be public beginning Nov. 27 and the Cosmo Centre followed suit on Nov. 30.
Both organizations said that while the decision was tough, it was necessary to properly protect the health and safety of their members, staff and volunteers.
For the Seniors Association board of directors, president Vicki Wadsworth said the discussion of a voluntary closure was actually on the table before the provincial government released its newest set of restrictions.
The public health order reduced the number of people allowed in a public venue even further, which posed limitations on physical activities and the Timothy Eaton Cafe, which Wadsworth said really solidified the decision.
“We were growing really concerned about the increasing number of cases [and] we just thought we didn't really feel it was safe any longer to have people in the centre,” said Wadsworth. “There were a lot of restrictions on our activities, and it didn’t make much sense for us to be open and not able to serve people.”
For the Cosmo, the feeling was much the same — restrictions on activities and the rising concerns over high positive case numbers led the centre to choose to close its doors as well, although it was done with a heavy heart.
“We’re trying to keep a positive outlook on things, and we’re hoping that this will resolve itself,” said Singleton. “This is not good, but it could be worse and we’re doing okay — not great, but we’re still above water.”
Singleton expressed concern for the senior population in the city, as she fears many will be left with little to no social interaction without the centres open.
“For most of our seniors, this [isolation] is really difficult on them, physically, mentally, even spiritually,” said Singleton. “And it's a really difficult thing, to overcome the depression.”
There are also financial concerns for both the Seniors Association and the Cosmo Centre, who already spent several months on lockdown in the spring and saw a significant impact in revenue as a result.
During a presentation to city council during last week’s budget discussion, the Cosmo shared that average revenue for the organization usually totals between $40,000 and $50,000 annually but this year, they had only been able to collect $20,000 due to the pandemic.
Timothy Eaton Gardens will remain closed until at least Dec. 17, when the board will re-evaluate the situation, and the Cosmo is expecting to remain closed until the end of December.
However, both organizations still have plans to offer what they can from a distance, while their buildings remain shuttered.
The Seniors Association still has tickets available for a take-out turkey dinner on Dec. 13, and it is also running a Christmas Card Drive. Residents are able to donate signed or unsigned holiday cards that will be delivered to seniors in care homes around the city throughout the month.
“We’ve had a lot of cards already donated from the community and it's been really nice to see everybody so excited,” said Wadsworth. “It's a pretty simple thing, but I think it's going to really matter to the people who are getting the cards.”
The Cosmo Centre is planning to once again sell meat pies and Christmas pudding on a take-out basis, as well as weekly take-out lunches in the future.
“For everyone who did work here or is a member here, or even uses our facility, I just want to say thank you so very much for your support,” said Singleton. “The people that have supported us with our events we’ve been able to have, it's been absolutely wonderful and we couldn’t have survived without them.”
For more information on either organization and their current at-a-distance programming, contact the Seniors Association office at 1 (306) 694-4223 and the Cosmo Centre office at 1 (306) 692-6072.
