A devastating phone call
How Hazel adapted to the pandemic
Hazel remembers March 16 as the day her routine came to a heartbreaking halt. She received a call from Cristina, one of the staff members of LA Centre for Active Living, which ran Hazel’s seniors club. Cristina informed her that she needed to stay at home and self-isolate due to the risk of Covid-19. The centre’s group programs were suspended.
“All of the social programs and services that I have grown to depend on, and that bring joy, purpose and friendship into my life, abruptly stopped,” Hazel recalls. “That information was very defeating, frustrating and scary. I hate to be alone because it makes me very anxious and depressed.”
Staying home, but keeping active
Cristina reassured her that LA Centre would continue to be a part of her life. Every week since mid-March, she has received a safety wellness check and a food hamper. She also gets help with grocery shopping, exercises in remote fitness classes, and keeps in touch with her friends from the centre through a phone chat line.
“Life has changed because of Covid,” Hazel says, “but the centre has created innovative ways to engage with me and keep me active despite being stuck at home.”
Photo: A woman receives groceries from an LA Centre for Active Living volunteer