A Message from ADRC Director, Devon Christianson
Foresight Analysis is a planning tool that looks at trends and events to help us, determine what to prepare for, what might be ahead. Sometimes trends inform us and other times events do. Right now, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic event, we are asking ourselves what does it mean for our agency’s and customer’s futures?
I believe one of the greatest impacts of the COVID-19 event will be its role as an accelerator. It will put into high gear trends we’ve been watching that up to now had been moving at a slower pace. Our job will be to stand up and catch up to assure we create a positive future instead of cleaning up after the wake of the pandemic.
We have learned a lot in the past several months and are making positive changes to the way ADRC does business preparing for our customer’s new future.
What hasn’t changed
Our customers are our North Star. Changes we make will always assure that you are at the center of our decision making!
Our primary focus is the safety of our customers, volunteers, and staff
Getting ready for our next steps, we know things will look different. We are ramping up safety measures, such as:
- Screening all persons coming to our building
- Enforce physical distancing (6 ft) whether waiting in lines or meeting with staff
- Install sneeze guards at the front desk, Grounded Café, and in interview room
- Require staff and customers to wear masks whenever they are together
- Install sanitation stations with touchless hand sanitizer, masks, and gloves
- Be vigilant about frequently cleaning hard surfaces
Provide services in new ways
We are finding new and improved ways to reach people and provide critical services. Online video appointments will be available for customers with access to the internet and technology. This will offer new opportunities to see long distance caregivers and customers who are uncomfortable with people coming to their home. With added safety precautions, we will offer in-office appointments and in-home visits for those who are open to safe person-to-person contact.
Online programming
Many new opportunities exist to provide online options for education, support groups, prevention, social events, music, and classes. We are exploring ways to use online platforms for “group” participation, in addition to options for viewing by yourself at your convenience. We anticipate that large, in-person group events will not occur until much later in the year when Phase III of Governor Evers Badger Bounce Back plan is activated.
Our Nutrition program and Grounded Café have adjusted to the changes
As I write this article in May, we have not moved to Phase I of the Badger Bounce Back Plan. Today, we are not able to provide group dining options. Pick-up services are available for both our donation-based group dining and Grounded Café. Grounded Café also offers online ordering for pick-up or delivery (through Eat Street). Catering with pick-up is still available.
Our donation based homebound meal delivery is a priority. We’ve consolidated the program at our downtown location to increase delivery capacity. Volunteers are the heartbeat of this service and remain our faithful, dedicated heroes. Meals are delivered “no contact” – volunteers hang meals on doorknobs, ring the doorbell, and step back. We still assure the customer is okay, able to come to the door, and the meal is kept at temperature. Where this is not possible, safe delivery is made inside.
Hope is not cancelled
We see the challenges. Isolation and loneliness in our community has accelerated, delivery of healthcare and education has changed, as has the way people connect with each other. We take pride in being flexible, adaptable, and forward thinking. These challenges have brought many opportunities and are driving us to flex our resiliency muscle. They are moving us in directions we had been planning for. There is hope and opportunity to satisfy the critical need for human connection.
We can hold each other together even as we must stand “six feet” apart.
