Local Organizations and COVID-19: Staying Put in New Canaan

For today’s Q&A with a local organization, we hear from Barb Achenbaum, executive director of Staying Put in New Canaan.

Here’s our exchange. 

Barb Achenbaum. Contributed

New Canaanite: Staying Put serves many people in New Canaan whose day-to-day lives have been disrupted the most by COVID-19 virus. How are your members faring?

Staying Put’s mission is to help older adults in New Canaan live independently and safely in the community. Over the past few months, as restrictions were in place, we’ve had to pivot our traditional support services to a new format. This began with outreach calls in March to ensure that members felt safe and had no immediate health issues – and that they were in contact with a family member or friend. We then tapped our volunteer team to address emerging needs related to sheltering in place. This included pairing members with volunteer shoppers, errand runners, and tech tutors. Many intergenerational friendships have been forged which will continue long after the Pandemic. 

Jack and Pat. Photo courtesy of Staying Put in New Canaan

How has this time of coronavirus disease changed how Staying Put operates?

As a result of the crisis, we had to re-envision one of our most popular and valuable offerings designed to help prevent loneliness and isolation – opportunities for social engagement. We filled this void by replacing our traditional activities with virtual “in-home events” bringing Staying Put right into people’s homes. Dozens of dedicated volunteers made doorstep deliveries to hundreds of seniors. These included Easter plants, home-made Mother’s Day cards, soup prepared in Grace Farms Commons, and even a Luau basket of goodies replacing our traditional June event. The effusive outpouring of gratitude from the recipients has been heartwarming. And we have discovered that the opportunity for a socially-distanced front porch visit can be as valuable as the offering. 

Ryan Holzberger and Bennett Newman. Photo courtesy of Staying Put in New Canaan

We’re seeing a sharp rise in the use of telecommunications amid the virus-related restrictions. What would you say to New Canaan seniors who may not be aware of how technology can help them minimize the risk of contraction?

While technology can seem daunting for many, especially those over age 80, our outreach efforts have successfully convinced people that technology can be a lifeline for staying socially engaged and healthy. Many have embraced the opportunity to see the smiling faces of their grandkids through Facetime or to participate in virtual chats with friends or their favorite Lapham class via Zoom. Equally important is access to Telemedicine, where people can have a safe one-on-one visit with a doctor without having to go into the office. With the help of volunteers, we have successfully converted many – even a few nonagenarians – to using iPads.

Judy and Dave. Photo courtesy of Staying Put in New Canaan

So many local nonprofit organizations have seen their plans for 2020 upended, including in terms of fundraisers that are critically important to operations. How are you doing at Staying Put?

Our spring fundraiser, which was postponed to September 22nd, will now be a virtual luncheon. We will encourage guests to host a table of friends in their home where a gourmet lunch will be delivered. The event will culminate in a live streamed interview with three generations of New Canaanites – Pat Stoddard, Jane Williams, and Allison Williams. Their message – that New Canaan is a wonderful place to raise a family – resonates even more today as our town bands together to keep everyone safe and healthy.

A letter we ran last week from Nicola Holzberger, Staying Put’s director of member services, has garnered a lot of traffic and comments. It touched on mask-wearing and social interaction downtown. What’s your message for the community?

Nic’s letter described a disappointing incident on Elm Street where a younger person not wearing a mask was rude to an older resident. Seniors, who are disproportionately at risk from the virus, have spent the last four months at home, where they have been isolated from family and friends. As we encourage them to safely venture out, we are counting on the public to respect their health and to follow the town’s guidelines, especially the simple directive to wear a mask in public. We owe it to the older adults who built our town – and to all residents – to be protective of safety needs in this new landscape.