RALEIGH, N.C. – Social events are starting back up at some senior living communities, offering a chance to mix with friends again.

What You Need To Know

  • Apartment staff says residents experienced depression and loneliness during the height of the pandemic.

  • Puppy Parades and Meals on Wheels had to temporarily stop social events for over a year.

  • Meals on Wheels offers resources to seniors to be more independent and healthy.

 

So Fetch K-9 Adventures, in partnership with Saving Grace Animals for Adoption, brought puppies to Water Garden Park Apartments in Raleigh. Meals on Wheels joined in on the event to get reacquainted with the seniors they serve.

Saundra Lloyd, a coordinator with Water Garden Park Apartments, says this is exactly what the residents needed after a tough year with the pandemic.

"They had a lot of depression and loneliness," Lloyd said. "They couldn't even play cards because all the common areas were closed. They could not watch TV together because all the common areas were closed, so it was really rough for them."

At Water Garden Park Apartments residents always have access to their families. Lloyd says families were able to talk to the residents at their own risk during the pandemic.

For residents like Dotty McNeely, she said she and her family were playing it safe.

"Oh yes, it's been a long while," McNeely said . "I miss it. I'm waiting."

She said being able to finally socialize with her friends again, and interact with the puppies is helping to break up the time until she can fully interact with her family again.

"I have my 17th great grandbaby due three days ago, so I'm waiting to hear. I'm sticking by the phone," McNeely added.

Meals on Wheels coordinators say they used to have social events often with seniors, which is something they missed out on during the pandemic. The organization went from delivering a hot meal every day to each person using their services to delivering five frozen meals once a week.

This puppy social hour is one step for the seniors and these organizations to get back to normal operations.