Are you or an older loved one dealing with social isolation that’s intensified because of the pandemic?
Seniors struggled with isolation even before the pandemic and now that folks are encouraged to stay home and isolated for the benefit of the community, it seems to have taken a greater turn for the worse.
With those struggles in mind, the Volunteer Network on Aging has teamed up with several community members with expertise in a variety of topics and skills to provide virtual learning opportunities for seniors at home.
The new engAGED Program that was created by the state will help battle social isolation and involve virtual presentations given by a variety of individuals spanning different ages and skillsets.
“It’s an exciting time to be a part of the non-profit world. We are constantly trying to think of new and innovative ways to take part in the betterment of our community,” says VNA Executive Director Michael John Bennett. “This program shows a lot of promise with its ability to engage our recipients and will allow us to once again be an integral part of their lives. Although our services haven’t ever stopped entirely, this Pandemic has put a damper on our one-on-one time with our seniors.”
He adds that the program will allow the VNA to get facetime with seniors in need and help bring about a returning sense of normalcy. “It is also incredibly humbling and fantastic to be able to enlist the volunteer services of so many talented and generous individuals to perform these presentations. Our community is full of folks wanting to give our seniors the dignity and opportunities they deserve. It is truly something to behold.”
Subjects that cover topics like Tech Literacy, Basics of Drawing, Classic Musical Karaoke, Cooking, and more will be spearheaded by the experts and artists of Knox County.
The program allows seniors to get face-time with other individuals to combat the isolation the pandemic has intensified.
The different programs will kick off in November. Reservations can be made for the class-specific ZOOM codes by contacting the VNA at (309) 342-1152.
