These local older adults aren’t letting COVID-19 pandemic slow them down
When the YMCA temporarily closed its doors due to COVID-19, I used the shut down as an excuse to plop on my sofa. I figured everyone else was being lazy — so I could be too.
I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Last week, I had the pleasure of meeting a group of East Belleville YMCA active older adults who aren’t letting the pandemic slow them down. These sociable seniors meet once a month to celebrate big life events like birthdays and hip replacements. They drive past each other’s homes, honking horns and waving signs. Their mouths are masked but their eyes are smiling.
“We know how to have fun,” explained water aerobics aficionado Cindy Haps of Freeburg, who has had three back surgeries, the first two of which failed. A cane in one hand and balloons in the other, Cindy is one of those people who lights up a room — or in this case a parking lot.
On a recent Friday morning, the group gathered outside the Edge in Belleville before driving past the home of their “ringleader,” Steve Trautt. Today was Steve’s 65th birthday. Holed up at home awaiting a kidney transplant, he couldn’t come to his friends so his friends came to him.
Pre-pandemic, Steve helped organize the group’s potlucks and various outings. Now Zoom meetings and car parades keep them in touch.
“They’re just a great group of people,” said East Belleville YMCA Associate Executive Director Erin Darche. “Some of them don’t feel comfortable coming back to the Y yet, so this is their way to stay connected.”
Others, like 94-year-old Mary Jo Keeser, are already back in the gym. She hired a personal trainer to help her get back in shape after the shutdown.
“Since coming back to the Y, her strength and balance have improved,” Darche said. “If someone 94 can get started working out, you can always get started. No one has ever missed a starting point.”
But sometimes they do miss each other.
Importance of exercise, mask-only hours
“Getting exercise is important,” Steve Trautt said. “But for older people, social interaction is critical. A lot of people in our group have lost spouses. Sometimes they live alone and just want to see a friendly face. Going to the Y gets them moving and socializing and it helps them heal.
“We have a lot of fun together,” he said. “I can’t wait until I can get back there.”
Starting Monday, Oct. 5, the YMCA will hold mask-only hours for members from noon to 2 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday and from 3-4 p.m. Saturday.
