'SENIOR' PROM: Elders dance, enjoy themselves at first event since pandemic

Keri Gordon, Tahlequah Daily Press, Okla.
·2 min read

Sep. 30—Elders and their guests gathered in Tahlequah on Sept. 29 for the Senior Prom 2022.

Music sung by Duke Mason of Joplin could be heard from outside the Tahlequah Senior Citizen Center and couples danced to the old tunes that used to be considered "Today's Hits."

Tina Welch of Angels Care Home Health said it was the first time the annual Senior Prom had been hosted since the pandemic.

"COVID did slow us down and shut us down. The facilities are really protective so they didn't want to take them anywhere but now things are loosening up and we're able to get together again," Welch said.

This year's theme for the prom was masquerade and attendees could make their own masks for the mask contest.

"We've gone around to the facilities and helped them decorate masks and we even brought the supplies so they could do it here," Welch said.

Planning the event typically takes a couple of months and Welch said a majority of it is getting the word out and making sure the facilities can plan transportation for attendees.

"Normally we held it at the Community Building but we thought we'd try it here this year and it's a full house," she said.

While attendees could bring a guest, the event itself is more targeted to the elders.

"A lot of these seniors, they know each other from the different facilities so it's a good time for them to all get together," Welch said.

Angels Care Home Health and Good Shepherd Hospice are the two facilities that set up the prom. Welch said they also coordinated with Heritage Grove Assisted Living, which pitched in for the door prizes.

"We've got people pitching in all over and the reason that I like to work with Good Shepherd and Heritage Grove is they're all like-minded about taking care of the seniors and giving them what they need," she said.

Margaret Fields has been attending the prom for years and she was with her sister for Thursday's event.

"I came from Tulsa with my sister and we used to come down to play games with them and then we'd eat," Fields said.

Dolly Richardson was making a mask for her mother and she entered the contest.

"They're all having a great time and this is the first [prom] in quite awhile. You can just see — everybody is happy. Everybody loves getting out and all the interaction with all the activities is wonderful," Richardson said.

Josie Abbott with Good Shepherd Hospice said the pandemic took a toll on elders and how they struggled with it.

"They didn't want to come out of their rooms anymore, they were just depressed and couldn't see their families," Abbott said. "We've been trying really hard to be able to get them out and for them to come and enjoy stuff."