How to Safely Help Seniors During the Coronavirus Pandemic

April 2, 2020

**image courtesy of AARP

Some of our older residents do not drive and others need regular assistance with household tasks and personal care.

We all want to make sure old adults in our community are doing well, but we also need to do our best to help vulnerable populations stay safe.

So how can we help older adults in a world of social distancing?

  • First, be sure to talk to older family members about medication supplies, food, home care and back up plans if the virus threat is longer than anticipated.  
  • Remember that social distancing does not mean social isolation. Never underestimate the power of a phone call, video chat, social media or even old-fashioned snail mail. It’s important to call our loved ones to make sure they have everything they need and are doing well. A call just to say hello can do much to lift someone’s spirits in challenging times. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is also recommending that communities create “buddy systems” to make sure vulnerable and hard-to-reach people stay connected. This can be done through email or by scheduling virtual family time with an older loved one. Talking with family members over Skype or FaceTime or scheduling a time to host a Google Hangout or Facebook Messenger conversation can help. Now more than ever people need to find smart ways to stay connected.
  • Do what you can to make it easier for vulnerable individuals to remain at home. For example, if you are planning to go to the grocery store to pick up items for yourself, consider asking elderly neighbors if they need something while you are there. You can drop off groceries outside their home to avoid close contact. Also consider helping older family members set up grocery delivery services and prescription delivery when possible.

 

AARP has a variety of resources to assist those in the 50+ community during the COVID-19 pandemic. Please see below: