Although social distancing has shown to slow the spread of COVID-19, the pandemic has truly opened the eyes of people throughout the U.S. to the negative impact that being separated from family and friends can have on a person’s overall well-being.
If the new Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services guidance to vaccinated people in non-healthcare settings is intended to be a nudge, it appears that the federal government still has work to do.
In late January, healthcare providers in remote Aroostook County, Maine, needed help getting the word out about the COVID-19 vaccine to its 70,000 residents — about a quarter of whom are elderly. They knew exactly where to go: the Aroostook Agency on Aging. Just a week after reaching out to the agency, a team of 25 volunteers were manning phones, helping residents register for shots.
As I became increasingly concerned about the health of my mother and aunt, I searched for an effective way to monitor them in a reliable, unobtrusive way.
In recognition of the soaring demand for senior services during the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Sens. Bob Casey (D-PA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) introduced on Thursday the Continued Funding for Senior Services During COVID-19 Act.
A “McKnight’s” webinar on March 4 at 1 p.m. ET will be geared to home care providers and focus on how to engage seniors through technology.
With there being between 2 million and 4.4 million older homebound adults, many with multiple chronic conditions, several medical centers and health organizations are sending doctors and nurses to apartment buildings and private homes to vaccinate homebound seniors, Kaiser Health News reported.
LeadingAge last week sent a series of letters to key congressional committee chairs, urging them to move quickly on adopting COVID-19 relief measures “that address the dangers the pandemic has posed to older adults.”
During a live AARP coronavirus tele-town hall, the major seniors organization tried to alleviate the fears of callers who expressed concerns regarding homebound and often confused seniors who are in need of the COVID-19 vaccine.
There remain a few wrinkles to iron out on the COVID-19 vaccination front.
