We are still here. Are you still there?
We miss our seniors a lot.
This pandemic is the worst.
Stay home and stay safe.
Your health has to come first!
Dear Generations Participants and Friends,

B-I-N-G-O: we never thought we would miss it so much! We know you're missing all the fun of coming to Generations too! Governor Tom Wolf and Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine announced that the statewide stay-at-home orders to protect Pennsylvanians and mitigate the spread of COVID-19 will be extended until Friday, May 8 at 12:01 AM.

Our fantastic staff, members of our Board of Directors, and employees from Montgomery County, along with a few dedicated volunteers continue to report to our Center several days per week. We are working with the essential task of providing food to our home-bound seniors. Meals on Wheels clients in the North Penn and Indian Valley areas currently receive only one delivery per week on Monday. The delivery includes 5 frozen meals, 4 shelf-stable meals, 1 cold meal, and additional fruits and snacks.

If you were signed up for a meal, seminar, or special program that was to take place onsite at Generations between now and May 8, please consider it cancelled. When we have reopening information, we will let you know as soon as possible. If you were signed up for a trip, and if we have information about cancellation/reimbursement, you may be receiving a call from us.

Also, see below for a compiled list of links to helpful articles and resources including emergency food information, the importance of social distancing, and how to make Zoom conference calls.

We are all in this together. We will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation and will follow guidance from public health officials and government agencies, so we can support our Participants, our Meals on Wheels Clients, and our community as needed. If you would like to share other information or links that have been particularly helpful to you during this emergency situation, please reply here and we'll try to include them in our next communication.

We are responding to emails and voice mails. If you have a question or concern, and especially if you need assistance with basic needs , please give us a call at 215-723-5841 or reply to this email and we will try to connect you with available area resources.
Staying Active While Staying In
Hi, it's Amy, your friendly Generations program coordinator. And if you think a stay at home order is going to stop me from trying to force seniors to stay engaged, well, think again! As an activity planner and a working mom, my pre-pandemic life was based in routine; I lived by multiple calendars and you'd better believe they were all color coded. These days, my monthly, weekly, and daily calendars are a bit more "gray."

I don't know about you, but I've had to force myself to try to maintain a routine during the last month. As it turns out, maintaining a routine is really helping me to cope with this "new normal." Experts say (and I agree) that creating a daily routine helps reduce stress and anxiety, promotes safety and security, and improves sleep (dailycaring.com).

In our home, we encouraged (and by that I mean we forced) a routine as soon as the news about closures hit, and we never looked back (except on the weekends). Our daily routine is posted on the refrigerator and it's color coded with check boxes (oh yes, everyone wants to be quarantined with the activities director). OK maybe yours doesn't have to be as rigid as ours, but nevertheless, try to take some time to jot down a daily routine that works for you. It should incorporate regular healthy meals, physical activity, chores, quiet time, brain stimulating activities, and yes, proper hygiene. Keep the schedule blocks short and sweet and I promise you will still have plenty of time for whatever activities you find self indulgent. In my case, that's watching fully staged recordings of my favorite Broadway productions on YouTube. For you it might be binge-watching Tiger King or checking in with your Facebook friends. Over the next few weeks, we'll try to share some of the things we think are most important for seniors to incorporate into their daily routines, such as staying active, staying engaged, staying connected, and staying well.

This week our daily routine focus is regular exercise. Let's check in on how you're already doing with physical activity. The National Physical Activity Guidelines recommend engaging in 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week. Older adults should practice all four types of exercise (endurance, strength, balance, and flexibility) for the most benefits (ncoa.org). So, how are you doing with your current fitness activity level?

If you are already doing something to stay active, keep it up! If you have exercised before in a group setting, there's good news for you too. Research has shown that the risks of exercise at home are no greater than exercising in a group setting (ncoa.org). One of our favorite Generations fitness instructors, Jean Tornetta, has shared some resources for at-home fitness videos below. An internet connection is required. (Keep in mind that sometimes a YouTube video starts with an ad. Sometimes you have to watch the whole ad. Sometimes you can skip the ad after a few seconds). Thank you Jean!

Remember to stay safe and listen to your body when exercising. Always wear appropriate clothing and shoes. Warm up, cool down, stay hydrated, and be in reach of a sturdy chair pushed up against a wall if possible. Gauge your level of effort with the “talk test." You should be exercising at a level that allows you to talk. You should always check with your healthcare provider before starting a new exercise routine.



If taking on an exercise routine right now is overwhelming for you, just keep in mind the motto, " sit less, move more. " There are many ways to reduce your “tush time.” For example, get up during every commercial on TV and do an active chore or march in place. If you can’t walk or stand, try seated knee lifts, kicks, foot slides, punches or arm circles. If possible, take a walk outside. It's a great way to stay active and enjoy the benefits of fresh air and sunshine.

People, you can do this! We are reaching out to the same group of inspiring seniors who had to get up, get clean, get dressed, and get HERE to Generations multiple times per week to stay active. We know that you already cared about yourself enough to stay in a healthy routine before this pandemic. Please continue that self-care and self-motivation while you're staying in your home. We miss you!
Social Security Benefits Will be Paid On Time/Beware of Scams!
Andrew Saul, Commissioner of Social Security, reminds the public that Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefit payments will continue to be paid on time during the COVID-19 pandemic. The agency also reminds everyone to be aware of scammers.
“Social Security will pay monthly benefits on time and these payments will not be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic,” Commissioner Saul said. “I want our beneficiaries to be aware that scammers may try to trick you into thinking the pandemic is stopping or somehow changing your Social Security payments, but that is not true. Don’t be fooled."

Montgomery County Voter Information:
  • June 2nd is the new primary election date for 2020. If a voter has already applied for an absentee or mail-in ballot for this election, they do not need to reapply.
  • Montgomery County has a new voter-verifiable paper balloting system in place.
  • If you are not comfortable visiting the polls on June 2, you may be eligible to vote by mail or use an absentee ballot. The deadline to request a mail-in ballot is 5 pm on May 26. The deadline to return your ballot is 8 pm on June 2. Click here for more information about voting in Montgomery County.
Please Complete Your 2020 Census
Public programs like the ones we support at Generations depend on accurate Census counts for funding! We know it's hard to focus on anything besides COVID-19 right now, but we will come through this, and our fair share of funding will be more important than ever! There are three ways to respond:
  1. Mail back the paper questionnaire that was sent to your home.
  2. Respond by phone: Call 844-330-2020
  3. Click here to respond online or for more information.
Vertigo Away! Virtual Presentation
Monday, April 27, 11am
You can view a video presentation about vertigo with Laura Bishop of CORE 3 Physical Therapy by clicking on the link below. Laura will discuss the various components and factors that affect balance and how these can be treated with physical therapy. She will also discuss several conditions that cause dizziness including BPPV, vestibular hypofunction and Meniere's disease. Click on the link to join the live presentation on Monday, April 27, at 11am or watch the video any time after that. You should be able to view the video regardless of whether you have a Facebook account.
How to Stay Connected Using Zoom Conference Calls
Our Generations Tech Tips volunteer Tom has answered our call to help our Participants to stay connected to family and friends during the COVID-19 pandemic! Check out his user-friendly guide to the popular video conferencing app, "Zoom." We challenge you to watch this video, check out the printable guide and then get connected with each other. Thank you Tom for your assistance in teaching us "old dogs" some new tricks!
How You Can Help
At this time, monetary donations to help us maximize our efforts for our Meals on Wheels clients are the best way to help. To donate by mail, send your check payable to Generations, with "Meals on Wheels" in the memo, to us at 259 N. Second St., Souderton, PA 18964. To donate online via Paypal, click on the button below.
If you haven't already "friended us" on Facebook, now would be a great time to do it, since we're posting updates and helpful information there each week. Click on the link to our Facebook page below!
Generations of Indian Valley | generationsofiv.org
215-723-5841