Innovative Solutions to Address Social Isolation in Older Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Join the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP) and the Administration for Community Living (ACL) Office of Nutrition and Health Promotion Programs (ONHPP) for a Spotlight on Health webinar on Monday, August 10, at 2:00 p.m. ET. The webinar will highlight innovative solutions to address social isolation in older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prior to the pandemic, 43 percent of adults age 60 or older in the United States reported feeling lonely. Social isolation and feelings of loneliness can be heightened during physical distancing and stay-at-home orders. This webinar will highlight local programs that have developed unique solutions to combat social isolation — and that continue to address the diverse needs of older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. We’ll discuss:

• Updated guidance and resources available to support Aging Networks developed by ACL
• A Wellness Recovery Action Plan to help older adults stay healthy and connected to their communities
• A unique partnership deploying the real-time, practical use of the Upstream Social Isolation Risk Screener (U-SIRS) by Area Agencies on Aging and community health workers in Maryland

Speakers will include:

• CAPT Paul Reed, MD
  U.S. Public Health Service, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health, Acting Director, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

• Carter Blakey
  Deputy Director, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

• Keri Ann Lipperini, MPA
  Director, Office of Nutrition and Health Promotion Programs and Administration on Aging, Administration for Community Living, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

• Leigh Ann Eagle
  Executive Director, Living Well Center of Excellence, a Division of MAC, Inc. Area Agency on Aging

• Sue Lachenmayr, MPH, CHES
  State Program Coordinator, Living Well Center of Excellence, a Division of MAC, Inc. Area Agency on Aging

• Matthew Lee Smith, PhD, MPH, CHES, FGSA, FAAHB
  Co-Director, Center for Population Health & Aging, Texas A&M University

• Judith Cook, PhD
  Director, Center on Mental Health Services Research and Policy, University of Illinois at Chicago