Study after study has shown that social connection is imperative for older adults to lead a life free of the ill health effects of isolation, depression and lack of community connection. The pandemic has shone a spotlight on a severe lack of connection for older adults in San Francisco as well as high need for alternative options to reach the most vulnerable seniors.  While many organizations and agencies have made impressive efforts to get seniors connected, we need more assistance in reaching this population.  

As we slowly move back into in-person events and activities, there will continue to be residents who will not feel comfortable leaving their homes due to vulnerable health, mobility issues and new Covid variants.  Older adults and persons with a disability make up 25% of SF’s population and 30% of them live alone. Of those older adults, 40% report having a disability. And, 15% of all of these cohorts live below FPL. This is more than 225,000 SF residents who need some form of help connecting to the outside world.  

The first step in welcoming this population back into a social environment is through Hybrid Programming, allowing all older adults to connect to and participate in live in-person activities, reconnecting them to their chosen communities once again.  To support these seniors in connecting with others, there are three main elements required:  more available devices, more training opportunities and trainers and internet and technical support specific to seniors.  These elements not only enable seniors to make these social connections, but they also allow access to telemedicine, education, SMART technology, family & friends, benefits websites, and so much more.  Through this request, not only is it possible to increase the longevity of our seniors, but we can help them THRIVE. 

Mental Health Support for Caregivers

About 44 million Americans provide 36 billion hours of unpaid, informal care each year for adult family members and friends with chronic illnesses or conditions that prevent them from handling daily activities such as bathing, managing medication or preparing their own meals. Many family caregivers rely on support from community organizations. Organizations such as Family Caregiver Alliance (FCA), Adult Day Programs, and Senior Centers, provide caregivers different types of support services to be able to care for themselves. Caregiver support services play a pivotal role in a family caregivers’ physical, mental and emotional health. 

With COVID-19 safety precautions closing many of these agencies and in-person support, family caregivers had a decrease in assistance from formal and informal supports. With this, the need for mental and emotional support for family caregivers increased. As an example, FCA in SF offers a short-term individual counseling model to family caregivers. During COVID-19, FCA tripled the amount of family caregivers using individual counseling services. PreCOVID: October 2018 to March 2020, 8 family caregivers in SF used $2,700 worth of individual counseling. Since COVID-19: March 2020 to October 2021, 26 family caregivers in SF used $8,400 worth of individual counseling. Towards the end of 2020-2021, FCA had family caregivers on a waitlist to access individual counseling services. PreCOVID-19, FCA offered 2 in-person caregiver support groups (1 in English and 1 in Spanish). PreCOVID-19: October 2018 to March 2020, 23 family caregivers in SF participated in 318 hours of support groups. Due to COVID-19 safety precautions, FCA moved all caregivers support groups to an online platform. With the increased need for support groups during this time, FCA added an additional three caregiver support groups. Since COVID-19: March 2020 to October 2021, 28 family caregivers have participated in 342 hours of support groups. FCA has a waitlist of 5-10 family caregivers in SF at any given time. Additional staff time is also needed to help monolingual caregivers gain access to join and regularly participate in virtual support groups