Seniors

Communication Resources for Cambridge Seniors

• The City of Cambridge Senior Centers and the Council on Aging remain closed until further notice. If you have questions about available senior resources and services, or if you have concerns about a senior, please call the Council on Aging’s main line at 617-349-6220.
• Twice a week, a broadcast message is sent by phone to seniors on the Council on Aging’s phone list. These messages include community updates related to COVID-19, general advisories, and other resources. To be added to the broadcast list, call the Council on Aging’s main line at 617-349-6220.
• A Phone Assurance Program was recently launched to contact seniors who may be isolated or unable to receive information digitally. If you know a senior who could benefit from a phone check-in by Council on Aging staff, please call the main line at 617-349-6220.

Programming Resources for Cambridge Seniors

Virtual Programming

The Cambridge Council on Aging (COA) will continue offering virtual health and wellness classes during the Safer at Home Advisory. Classes include Strength Training, Watercolor Painting, Spanish, Meditation, Zumba, and more. Participants must be 60 years of age or older to enroll in programming.

View the COA Virtual Programming Schedule and Class Descriptions (PDF)

Online classes are offered through Zoom, and participants will receive a Zoom email invitation directly from the instructor prior to the start of each class. Note: some class sizes are limited. Enrollment priority will be given to Cambridge residents.

To sign up for a class, call the COA at 617-349-6220. Questions about caregiver support resources, the Memory Café, and other senior services should also be directed to this phone number.

Health Information for Seniors

Senior residents, particularly individuals with weakened respiratory and immune systems, may be at higher risk of serious illness upon contracting COVID-19. As a unified community, we can keep our most vulnerable residents safe and healthy, both physically and mentally, by adopting specific precautionary measures.

These measures include practicing thorough personal hygiene and safe social distancing. This also entails restricting visits to senior living and care facilities.

We know that this is weighing on loved ones who wish to visit family members. However, social distancing does not mean that we should stop communicating and caring for one another.

Connecting with loved ones over the phone or electronically is a great way to communicate with one another, provide emotional support and assess how you can help your neighbors.

If you are healthy and able, we also encourage you to ask vulnerable community members how you can provide assistance by offering to safely buy groceries or pick up prescriptions.

If you are a Senior, we urge you to take simple steps to reduce potential exposure to COVID-19, as outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These measures include:

• Staying home as much as you are able
• Maintaining at least six feet between yourself and others when in public
• Avoiding close contact with people who are sick
• Avoiding large crowds and unnecessary travel
• And practicing good personal hygiene by washing your hands frequently for at least 20 seconds, avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands, and sanitizing frequently touched surfaces in your home.

If you or a loved one are exhibiting symptoms, which include a fever of 100.4˚F or higher, cough or shortness of breath, it is critical that you contact your primary healthcare provider for guidance. You can also call the Massachusetts helpline at 2-1-1.

While following public health guidance can be difficult, we must take action to protect the health and safety of our community. For more tips, updates and information, please reference the City of Cambridge’s COVID-19 information page https://www.cambridgema.gov/covid19.

Food Assistance

If you are concerned about a senior’s access to food, please call the Council on Aging’s main line at 617-349-6220.

Special Grocery Store Hours

The Mayor, the City Council and the City Manager want to ensure our senior citizens have as much information as possible as we navigate the COVID-19 crisis.

It is incredibly important that residents over the age of 60, especially those with underlying health conditions, practice thorough personal hygiene and safe social distancing.

We also understand you will need to leave the house to obtain groceries and other items.

As of March 23, grocery stores in Massachusetts are now required to provide alternative hours for people over 60 in order to limit their potential exposure to COVID 19. This information must be posted and enforced. Many groceries stores also offer online ordering and/or curbside pickup for customers. Please visit their websites to learn more about what they offer.

Here is the most recent information we have on what local grocery store chains are doing to create specific shopping windows for people over 60:

• Broadway Marketplace, 468 Broadway, is offering senior shopping hours 9 a.m.-10 a.m. Monday-Saturday. They are also offering curbside pickup of grocery items.
  • For curbside pickup: Seniors need to e-mail their order to george@broadwaymarketplace.com. Please include contact information. They will call for a payment method and schedule pick up. When at the curb, call 617-547-2335 and they’ll load your order into your vehicle.
• Brothers Market, 1 Broadway, is dedicating 7:00-8:00 a.m. every day as a shopping hour for senior citizens and people with disabilities.
• Market Basket, 400 Somerville Ave., Somerville will open exclusively for people over 60 every day from 6:00 a.m. – 7:00 a.m.
• Pemberton Farms, 2225 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge will offer daily hours from 6:00 a.m. - 7:00 a.m. for customers ages 60 and over. They can also pull and deliver grocery for nearby customers. If interested, please email Denna at denna@pembertonfarms.com. Delivery fee is determined based on location. 
• Stop & Shop, which has locations on McGrath Highway and Alewife Brook Parkway, will open exclusively for people over 60 and anyone with a weakened immune system each day from 6:00 a.m. – 7:30 a.m.
• Star Market, which has locations in Porter Square, on Beacon Street, on Mt. Auburn St., and on McGrath Highway, will open on Tuesdays & Thursdays from 7:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. for senior citizens and other at-risk populations, such as pregnant women or those with compromised immune systems.
  •  Learn about curbside pickup with online ordering
• Trader Joe's, which has locations at 211 Alewife Brook Parkway and 748 Memorial Drive, will open every day from 8:00 – 9:00 a.m. to anyone 60 or over and customers who with disabilities or who are immunocompromised.
• Whole Foods, which has three locations in Cambridge, will open for people over 60 one hour before it opens to the general public. The River Street location near Cambridge Port will open for seniors at 8:00 a.m. The Prospect Street location near Central Square will open for seniors at 7:00 a.m. The Fresh Pond location will open for seniors at 8:00 a.m.
  •  Learn about curbside pickup with online ordering

Call Ahead for Banking

With many local banks operating at reduced hours due to COVID-19, senior residents are encouraged to call ahead and make an appointment in order to help keep residents safe, healthy, and encourage social distancing to stop the spread of the virus. Contact information for local bank branches can be found here.