WS Chronicle

By Kristin Larson

COVID-19 has slowed us all down and changed how we do simple things (even how we purchase our toilet paper!). However, here at the Shepherd’s Center of Greater Winston-Salem, COVID-19 has not slowed us from fulfilling our mission of promoting and supporting successful aging. Our office, which remains closed to participants, is anything but closed and remains very busy. Our transportation department continues to provide transportation for essential medical appointments and has not stopped since the onset of COVID-19. We are continuing to schedule and provide much needed home repairs.

Preventing social isolation continues to be a priority. COVID-19 has given us the opportunity to develop several new programs to combat social isolation. Our “Card Connections” program gives volunteers the opportunity to send cards to homebound seniors in our community. Many wonderful friendships have been made through this program. Our “Phone Pals” program also has led to wonderful friendships! The “Phone Pals” program gives volunteers the opportunity to have phone conversations with a homebound senior. We even have volunteers as far as Alaska! 

We have also ventured into the virtual world and are providing several activities on Zoom. We are offering: 

*Yoga with Ruth” on Mondays. 

*Our wonderful Shepherd’s Center Singers rehearse virtually on Tuesdays. 

*“Way Back Wednesday,” our popular history discussion group, meets every other Wednesday. 

*Game Day on Zoom is filled with fun and different games to play.

*“Thinking Outside the Box” discussion group meets every Thursday afternoon. 

Along with our weekly activities, we have monthly events that meet virtually as well, such as: nutrition presentations brought to us by the Community Nutritionist with the Forsyth County Health Department; AARP presentations; and Wake Forest University Law Student’s Wills Program (just to name a few).

 We also have several Zoom programs and activities that have just begun. We kicked off January with a fantastic program called the “Tech Buddy Program.” This program connects a student (ages 14+) with an older adult who needs technical support. The student’s role is to provide the technical support via Zoom while beginning a friendship with the older adult.  

Our February “Winter Strong Workshop” will celebrate heart health with the educational presentation, “A Healthy and Grateful Heart” with Carolyn Howell, retired public health educator. 

Also in February we will host the “Who Gets Grandma’s Yellow Pie Plate” workshop presented by Becky Nguyen, the Lifestyle Advisor at Homestead Hills. This workshop is designed to educate on how to properly transfer non-titled property. 

All of our Zoom activities, programs and much more are distributed via email weekly in our “The Shepherd’s Center Connection” e-newsletter. If you are interested in learning more about our programs and activities or if you would like to receive our weekly e-newsletter, please email Kristin Larson, Vital Living Program Director at klarson@shepherdscenter.org. 

Kristin Larson is the program director of the Vital Living Program at the Shepherd’s Center.