Senior Citizens Of Teton County Inc

ENRICHING SENIORS' LIVES THROUGH ADVOCACY, DIVERSE PROGRAMMING, AND WELLNESS AND NUTRITION OPPORTUNITIES.

NUTRITION: SENIORS WEST OF THE TETONS OFFERS CONGREGATE LUNCHES FOUR DAYS A WEEK IN THE SENIOR COMMUNITY CENTER AND DELIVERS FIVE MEALS A WEEK TO HOMEBOUND SENIORS. OUR HOME MEALS INCLUDE A WEEKLY BAG OF FOOD BASICS PROVIDED BY THE TETON VALLEY FOOD PANTRY. WE ALSO SERVE AS A DISTRIBUTION SITE FOR THE COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER'S FOOD RESCUE PROGRAM AND DISTRIBUTE FOOD BOXES FOR SENIORS THROUGH THE IDAHO FOOD BANK. CONGREGATE LUNCH SERVICE RESUMED IN JUNE 2022 AFTER PANDEMIC RESTRICTIONS WERE LIFTED OR MODIFIED TO ALLOW INDOOR GATHERINGS. PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC, THE CONGREGATE LUNCH PROGRAM HAD BEEN FLOUNDERING. AT ITS 2021 PLANNING RETREAT, THE BOARD ENDORSED ALLOTTING SIGNIFICANT RESOURCES TO DEVELOPING A THRIVING AND VITAL IN-HOUSE LUNCH PROGRAM WHEN CONDITIONS ALLOWED. THUS, WHEN THE CONGREGATE LUNCH PROGRAM RESUMED IN JUNE 2022, IT WAS WITH A NEW CHEF, AN UPGRADED MENU, AND ENHANCED FACILITIES THAT MADE THE SENIOR COMMUNITY CENTER A WELCOMING PLACE TO ENJOY A MEAL WITH FRIENDS. IN THE WEEKS FOLLOWING THE RE-OPENING, ATTENDANCE AVERAGED IN THE 20S AND HAS STEADILY INCREASED INTO THE 30S. WE REGULARLY HAVE LUNCHES THAT ATTRACT MORE THAN 50 AND SPECIAL EVENT LUNCHES THAT ATTRACT AS MANY AS 100, WHICH IS OUR MAXIMUM CAPACITY. CONGREGATE LUNCHES ARE OPEN TO NON-SENIORS, AND WE HAVE BEEN PLEASED TO SEE CITY WORKERS, LIBRARIANS, BUSINESS PEOPLE AND FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN JOINING OUR SENIORS FOR LUNCH. THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC CLOSURES, SWOT OFFERED HOME DELIVERED MEALS TO HOMEBOUND SENIORS. WHILE FOLLOWING CDC GUIDELINES FOR CONTACT WITH VULNERABLE SENIORS, HOME-DELIVERY VOLUNTEERS WERE STILL ABLE TO CHECK ON THE WELL-BEING OF ISOLATED SENIORS AND PROVIDE A WELCOME SOCIAL CONTACT. EVEN THOUGH PANDEMIC RESTRICTIONS HAVE EASED, SWOT CONTINUES TO PROVIDE THIS HOME-DELIVERY SERVICE. WE CURRENTLY DELIVER MEALS TO 15-20 SENIORS EACH WEEK. BOTH THE CONGREGATE AND THE HOME-DELIVERY PROGRAMS ARE SUPPORTED BY DONATIONS AND THE EASTERN IDAHO COMMUNITY ACTION PROJECT.

WELLNESS: SEVEN HOURS OF FITNESS PROGRAMING, INCLUDING TAI CHI (2 HOURS), YOGA (1 HOUR), AND FIT AND FALL PROOF (4 HOURS), ARE OFFERED EACH WEEK. OTHER FITNESS PROGRAMS, INCLUDING QI GONG, AKAI, AND RHYTHMIC DRUMMING, IS OFFERED ON A BI-WEEKLY OR MONTHLY BASIS. IN ADDITION, WE HOST CLINICS FOR FOOT CARE, BLOOD PRESSURE MONITORING, VACCINATIONS, AND HEALTH SCREENINGS. OUR HEALTHY SENIORS PROGRAM BRINGS IN MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS TO DISCUSS ISSUES LIKE MENTAL HEALTH, DIABETES PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT, AND HEART HEALTH. ALL WELLNESS PROGRAMS ARE OFFERED FREE OF CHARGE, THOUGH SOME VOLUNTEER INSTRUCTORS ACCEPT SMALL DONATIONS. FIT AND FALL PROOF IS SPONSORED BY THE IDAHO DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH, WHICH OFFERS TRAINING AND MATERIAL SUPPORT TO VOLUNTEER INSTRUCTORS RECRUITED BY SENIORS WEST OF THE TETONS. FOLLOWING THE RESUMPTION OF A REGULAR ACTIVITY SCHEDULE IN JUNE, APPROXIMATELY 50 SENIORS PARTICIPATED IN FITNESS AND WELLNESS ACTIVITIES EACH WEEK. AS WITH THE LUNCH PROGRAM, SENIORS HIGHLY VALUE THE SOCIAL INTERACTIONS THAT THESE WELLNESS ACTIVITIES PROVIDE. SINCE ALL OF THESE PROGRAMS ARE OFFERED BY VOLUNTEERS, THE ONLY COST TO SWOT IS AN ESTIMATED FACILITY FEE FOR UTILITIES AND OTHER FACILITY COSTS.

DIVERSE PROGRAMMING: THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC, SWOT CONTINUED TO OFFER PROGRAMMING, THOUGH AT A REDUCED LEVEL AND WITH RESTRICTIONS. WE HIRED A PROGRAM COORDINATOR IN JUNE 2021. FOLLOWING THE SECOND WAVE OF PANDEMIC RESTRICTIONS, WHICH ENDED IN JUNE 2022, HER ROLE WAS EXPANDED TO FULL TIME. WORKING WITH OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SHE HAS DEVELOPED A REGULAR PROGRAM OF RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES, DISCUSSION FORUMS, EXCURSIONS, AND ENTERTAINMENT EVENTS. PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC, THE FACILITY WAS EMPTY MOST AFTERNOONS AND EVENINGS. NOW, THERE ARE RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES (BRIDGE, MAH JONG, CRIBBAGE, BINGO) ALMOST EVERY AFTERNOON. THERE ARE REGULAR SERVICE AND EDUCATIONAL FORUMS AND THERE ARE ENTERTAINMENTS, LIKE THE POPULAR PIZZA AND A MOVIE SERIES, THAT SPILL INTO THE EVENING HOURS. FACILITY ENHANCEMENT: MUCH OF THIS DEVELOPMENT IN PROGRAMMING IS RELATED TO CHANGES WE HAVE MADE IN OUR FACILITY. WE HAVE ADDED HIGH-QUALITY A/V EQUIPMENT AND UPGRADED OUR DINING SERVICE. THESE CHANGES ALLOW US TO OFFER A WIDER VARIETY OF EVENTS AND PROGRAMS, WHICH SUPPORTS OUR CONCEPTION OF THE SENIOR COMMUNITY CENTER AS A GENUINE COMMUNITY CENTER RATHER THAN JUST A DINING ROOM. IN DECEMBER 2022, WE STARTED REMODELING AN UNDER-UTILIZED LOUNGE SPACE IN THE MAIN ROOM TO BECOME A MEETING AND WORK ROOM. THIS WILL ALLOW SERVICES LIKE OUR TECH TIME AND VITA TAX PREPARATION PROGRAMS TO OPERATE WHILE ACTIVITIES ARE GOING ON IN THE MAIN ROOM AND IT PROVIDES A MORE CONGENIAL LOCATION FOR SMALL GROUP DISCUSSIONS, LIKE DEATH CAFE.