Many of you are asking what you can do to help both the elderly and those who care for them during the crisis brought about by COVID-19. To answer that, WAM has asked some of our trusted partners with whom we’ve worked over the past 5 years to tell us what they are doing and how our Care Collective can best help them in their caregiving needs.
STAYING CONNECTED & INFORMED
WAM COVID-19
Campaign
Tips from our WAM experts to help you Stay Calm, Stay Connected and Stay Creative.
Home Care Assistance Advice for Caregivers
Expert advice on mitigating the risks of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.
Home Care Assistance Enrichment Guide
A guide to promoting engagement and stimulation while keeping physical distance.
Cleveland Clinic COVID-19 Screening Tool
Online tool to assess risk and symptoms with recommendations for medical care.
Alzheimer's Association
Tips for dementia caregivers at home and/or assisted living.
American Association of Retired Persons
Latest updates on COVID-19 with weekly virtual Town Hall meetings.
Apple App and COVID-19 Screening Tool
This tool can help you understand the latest about COVID-19.
Center for Disease Control (CDC)
The latest government updates on COVID-19 numbers, symptoms and tips.
Center for Disease Control (en español)
Lista de simtonos, erramienta de visualización y que pasos tomar si usted o alguien que cuida esta enfermo.
World Health Organization (WHO)
International impact information and travel advice.
PROVIDING EMOTIONAL SUPPORT
FOR CAREGIVERS:
If you are a caregiver in need of professional mental health support to deal with anxiety, stress or depression – or a mental health professional able to donate your time to a caregiver in need, there are local and national organizations with whom to connect:
FOR VOLUNTEERS:
If you are a layperson who wants to volunteer and offer friendly support to a caregiver or elderly person, you can search for organizations in your community that coordinate letter-writing campaigns, or join the national Letters of Love – Love for the Elderly initiative.
TO DE-STRESS:
If you need to de-stress, there are many organizations providing free resources to help us deal with COVID-19 anxiety and stress. Here are some of our favorites:
HELPING FEED
THOSE IN NEED
If you want to offer financial support to feed the elderly, there are many organizations who are working hard to provide more shelf stable meals to seniors because of the decline in home visits due to sheltering in place. These meals cost more and organizations are in need of financial contributions.
If you want to volunteer to shop/deliver meals for the elderly, check with your local food banks, churches, community centers or the organizations listed above to see if you can help shop for a senior or deliver meals.
SUPPORT FIRST RESPONDERS
& CAREGIVERS
If you want to help finance Personal Protective Equipment for healthcare providers in nursing homes, senior centers and hospitals, there are global, national and local campaigns to which you can contribute. Check with your local nursing home or hospital for their campaigns if you want to help your neighborhood community.
If you are a business that can donate equipment, your local nursing homes and senior care centers are in dire need of sterile, unused equipment. Most health care facilities now have a page dedicated to COVID-19 and will tell you where to drop off equipment, so check online for a home or hospital near you.
This pandemic has shown that medical research has never been more important. At WAM, we fund critical women-based Alzheimer’s research as well as educate the public about how to prepare and prevent the disease. We need your help to continue it. Please donate.