- Details
Lancaster County Office of Aging has announced the opening of LCOA Virtual Connections, a free virtual senior center for Lancaster County residents age 55-plus. The program is the first virtual senior center in Pennsylvania to be offered by an Area Agency on Aging.
LCOA Virtual Connections is a free program that started in September. All classes are live with an instructor using ZOOM as the virtual platform.
Exercise classes are offered each week and include chair exercises, yoga, Zumba, barre class, and Move Your Body. Bingo, Family Face-Off, Scattergories, Outburst, and other board games are also offered weekly.
New class additions starting in November and December include ukulele lessons, technology classes, various art classes, and chat sessions.
While seniors have many choices with online activities, Lancaster County Office of Aging staff developed and are managing LCOA Virtual Connections and can also explain Lancaster County Office of Aging services or make referrals as needed.
Community volunteers who are interested in hosting a class for the center are encouraged to contact Lancaster County Office of Aging.
Like many businesses and programs, the eight Lancaster County senior centers closed in March due to the pandemic. During this time, senior center staff members kept in contact with center participants by telephone and delivery of food, and many seniors expressed feelings of loneliness and isolation.
Lancaster County reopened the centers in August and September, but due to social-distancing protocols, the centers have restrictions on the number of participants allowed inside at a time and are serving about one-third of the previous number of people each day.
Once programming is established, LCOA Virtual Connections will form partnerships with local businesses and hopes that when businesses upgrade their computer equipment, they will donate used equipment to be distributed to local seniors in need, who would then receive instruction on computer use and accessing the virtual center programs.
For more information about LCOA Virtual Connections, contact Lancaster County Office of Aging at (717) 299-7979 or email Lisa Paulson at paulsonl@co.lancaster.pa.us.