Senior Dining plans Dec. 1 reopening in Monticello

By: 
Kim Brooks
Express Editor

     The pandemic caused the closure of so many businesses and services, beginning in March 2020. Jones County Senior Dining was an important and needed service that took a hit. Since then, Director Lisa Tallman said she’s struggled to find staff, but, more importantly, a site manager for Monticello.

     That is about to change…

     Starting Dec. 1, the Monticello Senior Dining site will reopen for the first time since March 2020. It will be held inside the basement of First Presbyterian Church in Monticello, Tuesdays through Fridays. The church is located at 211 W. First St.

     The new site manager, Aaron Kunde, of Center Junction, will soon begin training.

     The site will be open to senior citizens from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. The meal will be served at about noon.

     Reservations are appreciated for those who plan to attend in-person meals. Reserve a spot by calling Senior Dining at 319-462-4484. Tallman warned diners not to call the church.

     Because Senior Dining will not be utilizing the kitchen at the church, meals will be prepared at the site in Anamosa and transported to Monticello on a daily basis. Any dishes that need to be cleaned will then be taken back to Anamosa to be washed in preparation for the next day.

     The Anamosa Senior Dining site reopened following COVID in July.

     “It was scary,” Tallman recalled of reopening and serving a population that is more susceptible to the virus.

     At first, facemasks were required, but it was hard to manage that as people were eating and drinking.

     “Try having a meal with a mask,” Tallman said.

     Ninety-nine to 100 percent of the seniors Tallman serves are vaccinated.

     “They took this very seriously,” she said.

     As of now, there are no restrictions except for those who are not vaccinated. Those individuals must wear a mask.

     The Anamosa and Wyoming dining sites are seeing a regular number of attendees again. Anamosa averages 15 to 20, depending on the menu that day.

     The Wyoming site only serves in-person meals the first and third Wednesday of every month. Tallman said they saw 30 seniors on Nov. 3.

     “They have more volunteers who reach out to the seniors,” she said of recruiting diners. “They also bring in entertainment.”

     Not knowing when she would be able to hire a site manager for Monticello or when they would reopen, Tallman invited Monticello seniors to dine-in in Anamosa. She did not see any takers.

     While the hiring of Kunde is one load off her back, Tallman is also needing a cook (at $13.50 an hour, at 29 hours a week), as well as drivers to deliver meals.

     “I am getting nowhere fast,” she said.

     Tallman, herself, has been cooking meals in Anamosa since July. And now that she needs to train a new site manager, time is of the essence.

     Even Heritage Area Agency on Aging, based out of Kirkwood, which oversees Senior Dining, continues to experience a workforce shortage.

     “The food industry is having a hard time filling positions,” said Tallman.

     When it came to revamping the site manager position to make it more attractive, Tallman did away with meal deliveries out of the Monticello location. All meals will be delivered from Anamosa.

     “There’s no longer a need for the middle man,” said Tallman.

     The site manager now basically serves as a host to those coming to eat the noon meal. In addition, there is proper sanitation protocols, following regulations, and “having a good time,” added Tallman.

     She said it feels good to finally have all three sites back open for the seniors to not only have a place to eat a hot meal, but socialize as well, something many missed due to the pandemic.

     “They could have been back sooner if I’d been able to find a site manager.”

     Tallman said several of the regular diners in Monticello have been asking when the site would reopen.

     Tallman said she is thankful to the Presbyterian Church for allowing Senior Dining to take place there four days a week.

     “It’s a nice, beautiful church. It’s handicapped accessible.”

     Tallman even encouraged Kunde to reach out to the community and bring in guest speakers and local entertainment.

     “After they get settled in, hopefully they can expand their activities to puzzles and cards, with enough volunteers,” offered Tallman.

     Throughout much of 2020 and 2021, Senior Dining delivered frozen meals to those seniors who were homebound. Since July when in-person, hot meals resumed, Tallman has seen an increase in home-deliveries because people missed a home-cooked meal.

     The Senior Dining program is much-needed in Jones County.

     “A lot of widows and widowers don’t get the proper nutrition,” noted Tallman. “They’re not eating properly at home by themselves.”

     Tallman said everyone knows one another at each site, which makes for a family-like atmosphere rather than a stiff dining experience.

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