The Crofton Senior center, normally the center of activity for many residents, has been closed to in-house meals and social activities since mid-October.
Since manager Mary Sawatzke returned from a trip to San Antonio to visit family, she learned that she and husband Kim had been exposed to a family member who had Covid-19. They were contacted by the Texas Department of Health and instructed to quarantine for two weeks. More significantly, they learned that there was a surge of individuals throughout Crofton who were testing positive for the virus. Sawatzke did not hesitate to close the center to groups of people for everyone’s safety.
Fortunately, despite the doors being closed to eating at the center, the meal count has been steady, serving 850-1,000 meals per month with home deliveries and curbside pick-up. The schedule of meal preparation will continue Monday through Friday, with the time change for the Thursday evening meal to 5:30 p.m. beginning Thursday, November 5.
Monthly fundraisers and Caregivers Support Group meetings are also on hold until further notice when people can safely congregate. Sawatzke has workers lined up to construct the vestibule for the inside of the center, and as soon as the plans are worked out, plans to order the materials needed to complete that project.
The Nebraska Agency on Aging had issued a formal recommendation that all senior centers remain closed and at this time the date for reopening is uncertain.