COVID-19 Resources

We encourage USAging members and staff to follow guidelines and recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as well as from local, regional and national health officials. USAging will rely on this guidance as we update our members on developments related to the coronavirus. Questions? Please send them to info@usaging.org.
 
The following resources can provide Area Agencies on Aging and Title VI aging programs with information that can help them plan and prepare to meet the needs of older adults in their communities.

Government Resources 
To see resources from different federal agencies, including the Administration for Community Living and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, as well as other national organizations, visit our government resources webpage. 

Peer Resources 
USAging developed a members-only COVID-19 peer resources page where our members can view resources developed by their peers that can help in their agency’s response to the COVID-19 crisis. 

Examples from the Field

• AAAs have adapted programs and developed innovative new ones to meet the needs of older adults in their communities during COVID-19. Learn more.
• AAAs are playing a central role in helping older adults in their communities get the COVID-19 vaccination. Get a high-level look at what AAAs are doing. Notes from the Field. 

USAging Resources​

Interviews from AAA Directors in the Field
USAging interviewed AAA directors from some of the hardest-hit areas of the country to learn how they prepared for and are addressing COVID-19 outbreaks in their communities.

• Cathy Knight, Director of Aging and Disability Services for Seattle-King County
• Shireen McSpadden, Executive Director, San Francisco Department of Disability and Aging Services
• Emily Shea, Commissioner, Boston Age Strong Commission, the Boston Area Agency on Aging
• Mae Carpenter, Commissioner, Westchester County Department of Senior Programs and Services

Publications
Staying Safe at Home During the Coronavirus Crisis
​Developed with AAAs and their providers in mind, the Eldercare Locator’s consumer fact sheet on COVID-19 gives older adults and caregivers vital information on COVID-19, such as why older adults and people with chronic conditions are at higher risk, ways to prevent the spread of the disease, symptoms of COVID-19, what to do if you get sick and how to protect against COVID-19 scams that have cropped up all around the country. English | Spanish

Staying Connected at Home During COVID-19 
A flyer from the Eldercare Locator and engAGED: The National Resource Center for Engaging Older Adults helps AAAs and others in the Aging Network ensure that older adults have the information, resources and tips they need to stay connected to the community during the COVID-19 national health crisis, thereby avoiding the negative health effects of social isolation and loneliness. English | Spanish

#AAAsAtWork for Older Adults: A Snapshot of Area Agency on Aging Responses to COVID-19
This publication details how USAging's AAA members have risen to the challenge of COVID-19, meeting it with leadership, swift action, flexibility and more—and with the needs of older adults and caregivers they serve at the very forefront.

Blog Post Templates to Engage Older Adults and Caregivers During COVID-19
engAGED: The National Resource Center for Engaging Older Adults (administered by USAging) developed a six-part series of sample blog posts intended to help organizations working with older adults to encourage them to stay active and engaged in their communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. The blog posts highlight actions older adults and their caregivers can take to stay connected—to the wider world in mind, body and spirit.

Staying Connected and Healthy During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Resources for Older Adults and Caregivers
This brochure from USAging and the Eldercare Locator highlights the importance of social connection, its impact on our health—and ways the Aging Network can help older adults connect to their communities during this time of limited in-person social interactions. English | Spanish

Healthy Aging in a Pandemic World: What Older Adults and Caregivers Need to Know Now
This brochure from USAging and the Eldercare Locator describes some of the changes that families, friends and caregivers may notice and highlights the need to check in and check up on issues that may need attention among the older adults in their lives, poses​ questions readers can and should ask themselves and their loved ones at this stage of the pandemic—and provides information on how older adults, caregivers and families can connect to services that can help address these changes. English | Spanish

Webinars​

• Preparing for Coronavirus: A Conversation with Federal, State and Local Leaders (March 11, 2020)
• Policies for an Aging America: What We're Working Toward in 2020 (March 18, 2020)
• Stimulus Loans for Nonprofits: What You Need to Know (April 8, 2020)
• Capacity Building for Remote Programming During COVID-19 (April 27, 2020)
• Federal Policy Webinar: Addressing the Emerging Needs of Older Adults in the Next Phase of Coronavirus Legislation (May 6, 2020)
• Supporting Grandfamilies in a Pandemic (May 21, 2020)
• Older Adults Continue to Make Their Mark Even in the Midst of a Pandemic (May 27, 2020)
• Paycheck Protection Program Loan Forgiveness: What You Need to Know (June 10, 2020)  
• Interactive Tools From Active Daily Living Help AAAs Support Older Adults and Caregivers During the COVID-19 Crisis (July 8, 2020)
• The AAA COVID-19 Story: National Data and Next Steps: n4a’s Public Policy and External Affairs team and CEO highlight a report on the results of the COVID-19 membership survey n4a conducted, next steps to collectively promote the Aging Network’s great work during COVID-19, what’s needed for continued advocacy around COVID-19 relief and what this all means for the Aging Network’s future. (July 9, 2020)
• Alone Together: Understanding Social Isolation in Caregiving in the U.S. 2020 (July 20, 2020)
• Creative Nutrition Partnerships in Difficult Times: The n4a-NANASP-Tivity Partnership (July 21, 2020)
• Health Care Contracting in the Age of COVID-19 (July 29, 2020)
• SHIP and SMP Volunteer Engagement During COVID-19 (October 27, 2020)
• Health Disparities: Asking the Right Questions to Spark System Change in a COVID-19 World (November 18, 2020)
• Serving American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Elders: Creative Approaches to Keep Elders Engaged During COVID-19 (November 20, 2020)
• Social Engagement During the Holidays: Creative Initiatives and Resources (December 9, 2020)
• Providing Unique Lifelong Learning Opportunities During COVID-19 (January 21, 2021)
• Learning Through Crisis: Evaluating The Public Health Impact of Remote Behavioral Change Programs for Older Adults During COVID-19 (February 10, 2021)
• Addressing Social Isolation Through Senior Housing During COVID-19 (February 24, 2021)
• Social Engagement and Nutrition: Innovations for Today and the Future (March 23, 2021)
• Continued Impacts of COVID-19 on the Aging Network and New Resources to Support Your Work (May 13, 2021)

Videos
Videos on Enhancing the Social Engagement of Older Adults During COVID-19
engAGED: The National Resource Center for Engaging Older Adults (administered by USAging) developed a series of videos showcasing how Aging Network organizations adapted their programs in response to COVID-19 to address the increased social isolation of older adults. All four videos can be used by your organization to promote the benefits of social engagement in your community.

Other Resources 
Updates re: USAging's policy positions on COVID-19 can be found here.