ALBANY COUNTY — Deb Riitano said that Thursday was her coming-out party because she’d been working from home for weeks.

Riitano, the county’s commissioner for the Department of Aging, spoke at Thursday’s press briefing about initiatives her department has undertaken since the coronavirus shutdown.

“At 71, I learned how fragile we are that a submicroscopic particle could just turn our world upside down and make us feel isolated,” she said.

Riitano, who lives in Guilderland, has experienced the same trials as the seniors her department serves.

“I feel isolated and I have six children … You do feel disconnected from the world. You can’t wait to get to the TV to see what the numbers are, to see what’s happening,” she said.

Riitano has been involved with seniors not just in her work as commissioner but with the plans she and her husband got approved in 2018 to open a senior independent-living facility on Johnston Road in Guilderland.

Albany County Executive Daniel McCoy said that the county has over 65,000 residents who are over the age of 60 and living at home.

“Most of them right now are scared,” he said.

Riitano and her staff have been taking “lots of calls” from seniors and have also done “welfare checks,” she said.

“I talk to seniors — all day and into the night — who are struggling, who just want a welfare check,” she said.

Many of the department’s programs, such as congregate meals and adult day care, on which seniors depended for social interaction, had to abruptly close to stem the spread of the coronavirus.

So, with the help of the state’s Office for Aging, staff turned to delivering meals and doing grab-and-go meals, Riitano said. Close to 76,000 meals have been delivered to seniors in their homes since the coronavirus shutdown, which is over 2,500 meals a day, McCoy said.

Working with a slew of charitable organizations as well as other government agencies — including the county’s Department for Social Services, NY Connects, Colonie Senior Services, Life Path, Ravena Senior Projects, Peter Young Industries, Green Island Senior Center, and Jewish Family Services — department staffers have not only provided meals but also offered other services to seniors like grocery shopping or picking up drug prescriptions, Riitano said.

The New York State Office for the Aging’s Senior of the Year Celebration had to be postponed, but Riitano spoke glowingly of Albany County’s two honorees: Joan Lipscomban, an educator who is “active in the faith community,” she said, and Jerry Sykes, the generous owner of Party Warehouse.

On Thursday morning, Riitano noted correctly that it would be another extremely warm day. She urged seniors to stay hydrated and to stay indoors.

“We love talking to seniors … We’re only a phone call away,” said Riitano before giving out this number: 518-518-447-7198.

“We want to hear what your COVID-19 stories are …,” she concluded. “We’re in this together.”