Home for the holidays
December 1, 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 1, 2020
Aging & Long Term Care Joins National Campaign to Raise Awareness of Local Programs to Address Social Isolation and Loneliness Among Older Adults and Caregivers
Spokane, Washington— Aging & Long Term Care is excited to participate in Home for the Holidays, a national campaign led by the Eldercare Locator and the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a), this year in partnership with the University of California, San Diego Center for Healthy Aging. The goal of the campaign is to ensure that older adults and their caregivers are aware of the many local resources and services available in communities around the country to turn for social engagement opportunities.
Launched every year during the holiday season, Home for the Holidays is intended to help families and friends discuss difficult topics with their loved ones. A new consumer brochure is the focus of this year’s campaign, Staying Connected and Healthy During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Resources for Older Adults and Caregivers. As part of the campaign, the brochure highlights the importance of social connection, its impact on our physical and mental health—and ways the Aging Network can help older adults connect to their communities during this time of limited in-person social interactions.
“Maintaining social connections and staying mentally and physically active is key to reducing social isolation and loneliness among older adults, particularly now during the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s where Aging & Long Term Care can step in to help,” says Savannah Reams-Taylor, Community Outreach Specialist. Our agency is participating in Home for the Holidays because we know how important it is for older adults to stay connected to their communities—with and without technology. The programs and services we offer directly meet this critical need.”
About Aging & Long Term Care:
Aging & Long Term Care of Eastern Washington is a social service agency that helps older adults and adults living with disabilities age at home. This agency provides services such as case management for people needing a caregiver, information and referrals, answers to questions about Medicare and Medicaid, and more. ALTCEW is the local Area Agency on Aging for Ferry, Stevens, Pend Oreille, Spokane, and Whitman Counties. About 650 Area Agencies on Aging exist nationwide. Their mandate is to assist seniors in finding the services they need to remain independent and safe in their homes for as long as possible. The agency cannot fulfill its mission alone so it works with local partners in the community to provide services such as meals on wheels, family caregiver support, and transportation.
