It has been more than a year since the East Haven Senior Center has been able to welcome residents through its doors and Bob Petrucelli, director of Town of East Haven Social and Senior Services, is excited to begin to resume programming on May 24.

“Last year was tough on everyone, especially our seniors, so we’re excited to be able to welcome seniors back into buildings gradually, starting Monday, May 24,” said Petrucelli. “It’ll certainly be a different senior center than they left, but we think they’ll enjoy the activities.”

There will not only be changes to some parts of the buildings, but to procedures and protocols as well. All programs now require advance registration, which can be done online through a new system, Schedules Plus, or by calling the Senior Center.

As part of its outreach and wellness checks throughout the pandemic, one of the issues discovered was a lack of Internet connectivity or technology know-how among seniors. Due to this, Petrucelli was sure to find a scheduling system that did not require email addresses. The Senior Center also transformed an area into a computer lab where seniors can not only use the computers to register for upcoming classes, but take advantage of educational opportunities as well.

“When they started registering people for the vaccine, it was apparent that many seniors didn’t have Internet access, so after we helped get them registered for vaccines, we added a computer lounge,” said Petrucelli. “We were able to identify a need and find a solution to it. We will also do classes to teach them more about technology and things like obtaining an email address and more.”

Class sizes will be limited and social distancing and masks will be required. Everyone entering the Senior Center will use hand sanitizer and complete a health screening and temperatures will be taken. Anyone feeling sick should stay home.

Some activities, such as card playing and board games, that were popular in the past cannot take place at this time due to social distancing and sanitizing guidelines. There are other popular activities that are returning, including Bingo and the knitting group. All programs will continue to be free to seniors.

Thanks to a partnership with the Soundview YMCA, there will also be several new classes offered, including meditation, yoga, exercise programs, art classes, and more. There will also be a garden club and a book club. In the future as restrictions ease, the plan is to bring seniors to the Soundview YMCA to use the facilities.

“We tried to find a variety of activities to help keep our seniors mentally and physically active,” said Petrucelli. “The YMCA partnership is great for the town and our Senior Center. We went from three or four activities to more than 12 and as restrictions ease, I can see them really taking off.”

During the pandemic, while the building was closed, tai chi classes for seniors moved to the Town Green, weather allowing, to allow for social distancing. Petrucelli noted that it was a welcome change and due to the positive response, outdoor tai chi will continue and the Senior Center will explore more options for outdoor classes.

Daily meals will continue, though they will now be pre-packaged and provided to seniors with lunch reservations. No outside food, snacks, or drinks will be permitted. Transportation will also resume with rides to and from the Senior Center as well as weekly shopping trips. Appointments can be made by calling the Senior Center at 203-468-3277. Petrucelli is looking into expanding transportation to include medical appointments in the future.

The staff at Town of East Haven Social and Senior Services has also grown with two new employees transferring to the department. With the addition of the new staff, as well as moving social services under the same roof as the senior center, Petrucelli is happy to expand the building’s services.

“Now it’s more of one-stop shopping and a much more efficient way of providing services,” said Petrucelli. “Our two new employees have helped greatly with the organization of the schedule, mailings, and getting everything ready to go.”

All seniors who were involved in programs in the past will receive a “Welcome Back” packet in the mail. The packet will describe new procedures and new classes. It also includes a survey. Anyone who would like to receive a packet can request one by calling the office.

“I encourage all seniors who are remotely interested to call for a packet,” said Petrucelli. “You can look at our programs and pick and choose as many as you’d like to attend. Just give us a try—you can’t beat the experience. We are looking forward to making the senior center a more vibrant part of the community.”

For information, call 203-468-3277 or visit www.townofeasthavenct.org.