COVID Relief Funds and You
A year ago, A1AA closed our offices and set up remote access for our employees. There were bumps along the way but because our funding remained stable, we could keep our services going. In fact, it was imperative that we continued to serve even more vulnerable older adults and distribute relief funding to other organizations for their relief efforts.
One Year in –Mental Health and COVID
It has been a year since COVID-19 changed our lives in ways none of us imagined. The short-term impact on mental health has been devastating for some and we don’t know what this will mean long term.
Concern about social isolation among older adults didn’t start with COVID-19. There were already a multitude of studies about the harmful physical and mental health impacts of isolation and loneliness, believed to be more harmful than smoking and obesity as risk factors for early death.
Medicare Part D Plan and You
Area 1 Agency on Aging’s HICAP is smack in the middle of the Annual Enrollment Period for Medicare Part D (Prescription Drug Plan) which ends December 7th. If you receive Medicare, you have hopefully looked at your current plan to determine if you should change to a new plan or keep the one you have.
Like everything else, HICAPs has adapted to pandemic circumstances. Staff and volunteers are meeting online or by telephone with clients and our office is closed to visitors. There will be no drop-in clinics this year.
The 2020 International Day of the Older Person Theme is “Pandemics: Do They Change How We Address Age and Aging?”
“The COVID-19 pandemic is causing untold fear and suffering for older people across the world. Beyond its immediate health impact, the pandemic is putting older people at greater risk of poverty, discrimination, and isolation. It is likely to have a particularly devastating impact on older people in developing countries.” UN Secretary-General António Guterres
Today is the first day of autumn and also National Falls Prevention Awareness Day. Falls are the leading cause of both fatal and nonfatal injuries for people aged 65+, yet many falls can be prevented.
Falls can result in hip fractures, broken bones, and head injuries. Even falls without a major injury can cause an older adult to become fearful or depressed, making it difficult to remain active. Here are 10 common myths—and the reality—about older adult falls:
Myth 1: Falling happens to other people, not to me.
Communicating in the time of COVID-19
Everyone I know with an office job talks about “Zoom* burnout.” (*GoToMeeting, Google Meets, etc.)
Do Not Delay Accessing Resources to Avoid Eviction or Mortgage Default
June 15 is Elder Abuse Awareness Day and most of the local events planned to bring awareness to this issue have been cancelled.
Ageism, defined as the stereotyping and discrimination against individuals or groups based on their age, plays a major role in elder abuse.
You can’t even throw a rock these days without hitting an article about the terrible impacts of social isolation as we age. Toss a second with your non-dominant hand and you’ll hit an article about the benefits of volunteerism. A1AA is just a stone’s throw away and ready to help you and your friends ward off social isolation and reap the benefits of volunteering. All rock throwing aside, I am quite serious.
