VCAAA UPDATE 3/16/2020 – COVID-19

VCAAA UPDATE 3/16/2020 – COVID-19

A MESSAGE FROM THE VENTURA COUNTY AREA AGENCY ON AGING:

The County of Ventura remains in a health emergency. Yesterday Gov. Gavin Newsom recommended that all individuals 65 and older isolate themselves from the public in an effort to reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19 (Coronavirus). This order makes VCAAA services and the services of our partnering agencies even more critical. Efforts have been heavily focused on ensuring that older adults in Ventura County have the food and supplies they need to stay healthy and safe. We have been promoting the Help Your Neighbors flyer and Have You Considered video, and encourage you to do the same via social media, e-mail, and in any public setting you deem fitting.

Below is the most current status update for resources and closures in Ventura County:

• There are currently 4 travel related cases of COVID-19 in Ventura County. Three of those cases are pending confirmation from the CDC.
• As of 3/16, 149 people have been tested by the Ventura County Public Health Lab
• 25 travelers are on home quarantine in Ventura County
• The are 0 individuals in quarantine at NBVC Pt. Mugu
• 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 as well as any medical facility. The only exception are end of life visitors. 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 50 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. Most VCAAA services remain operating at this time, with the exception of Fall Prevention Classes, 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 have been canceled.
• Senior Nutrition Counseling Services and Classes – In-person nutrition counseling and SNAP-Ed classes have been canceled, however counseling via telephone is available. For more information call (805) 477-7300.
• 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 are facing isolation due to the health emergency to ensure that they have the food, supplies, and necessary support.
• AARP Tax Services – AARP tax services have been suspended at the VCAAA at this time.
• VACE Classes at VCAAA Campus – All VACE classes have been canceled at this time.

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. 

VCAAA Efforts to Combat Food Insecurity in Ventura County:

The VCAAA is now seeking volunteers who are interested in making food deliveries and/or working at the Agency’s Senior Nutrition Garden to help harvest produce that will be given to area residents. Interested parties can contact the VCAAA directly by emailing lois.vcaaa@ventura.org. Please include name, phone number, and cities in which the volunteer can deliver and/or volunteer.

In addition, the VCAAA is working to establish a full service food and supply pantry that will operate directly from the Agency’s offices at 646 County Square Drive in Ventura. This service will be available to all Ventura County residents, including those under the age of 60, and will be include door-to-car service with limited or no contact with participants to maintain the safety and health of all involved. More information to come later in the week.

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 all classes and programs have been canceled. 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: Closed indefinitely. Home delivered meal services are continuing as usual. There is not a meal pick-up option at this time. Individuals in need of a meal are asked to call the Fillmore Active Adult Center at (805) 524-3030.
• Goebel Active Adult Center: Closed indefinitely. Congregate meal participants will have the option to pick-up a hot meal Monday through Friday from 11:30-12:30. For more information call (805) 381-2744.
• HELP of Ojai: All older adult activities have been discontinued indefinitely. Congregate meal services will be discontinued but home delivered meals will continue as usual. No pick-up option is available, but congregate meal participants will be temporarily included in the home delivered meal program. Transportation service to doctor’s appointments and the grocery store are also 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 frozen meal daily. Only caregivers and individuals under the age of 65 are permitted to pick-up meals. For more information call (805) 517-6261.
• Orvene S. Carpenter Senior Center (Port Hueneme): All programs and events have been canceled, but doors remain open. There will be no interruption to home delivered meal services. A pick-up meal option is also available. For more information call (805) 986-6542.
• Palm Vista Senior Center (Oxnard): Closed indefinitely. A pick-up meal option is available. 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: Closed indefinitely. Home delivered meals will continue to be delivered. Congregate meal participants will have the option to pick-up a hot meal daily. For more information call (805) 933-4226 ext. 356.
• Simi Valley Senior Center: Closed indefinitely. 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. Home delivered meal services continue in Oxnard without interruption. For more information call (805) 385-8042.
• Ventura Avenue Active Adult Center: Closed indefinitely. Home delivered meal services are operating as usual. Congregate meal participants have the option to pick-up a frozen meal daily.  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 hot meal Monday through Friday from 11:30-12. 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): Closed indefinitely. 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): Closed indefinitely. 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. 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: All CHCD activities are suspended indefinitely. 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/.