COVID-19 Webinars

Developing Volunteer Opportunities to Help Older Adults Stay Engaged

During the January 22 webinar, AmeriCorps Seniors highlighted ways the Aging Network can foster civic engagement through volunteerism and how volunteerism benefits older adults. Erie County Department of Senior Services and Area Agency on Aging, Region One then shared how they created and sustained volunteer opportunities that help older adults remain engaged and connected. All speakers shared tips and strategies for Aging Network organizations looking to develop similar opportunities for older adult volunteers. Watch the recording below and click here for full slides.

Arts and Creative Engagement: Successful Programs, Activities and Approaches

During the December 15 webinar, Arts for the Aging highlighted the impact multidisciplinary, participatory arts experiences can have on older adults and provided background on their work taking place locally and nationally in the creative aging field. Scripps Gerontology Center provide an overview of the Opening Minds through Art program and how Aging Network organizations can incorporate this program into their social engagement work, while the Central Vermont Council on Aging spotlighted the AAA’s Creative Aging Initiative and Creative Care Kit project. All speakers also shared tips and strategies for Aging Network organizations working to incorporate more arts programming into their social engagement work. Watch the recording below and click here for full slides.

Addressing Social Isolation in Rural America

The November 19 webinar focused on addressing social isolation of older adults living in rural America. During the webinar, the UMaine Center on Aging provided background on rural aging and issues that impact older adults living in rural communities, including social isolation. Attendees also heard from the Jefferson Area Board for Aging and the Wyandotte Nation Title VI Aging Program on the local social engagement activities they have developed to help older adults and caregivers living in rural and tribal communities stay engaged and connected, and strategies other Aging Network organizations can implement. Watch the recording below and click here for full slides.

Promoting Social Engagement in Senior Centers: Local Examples and Looking Ahead

The September 15 engAGED webinar focused on promoting social engagement in senior centers, During the webinar, the National Institute of Senior Centers highlighted the importance of senior centers and the integral role they play in developing innovative and creative social engagement opportunities for older adults. Attendees also heard from Duxbury Senior Center and City of Calabasas Senior Center on the local social engagement programs they are implementing to engage mind, body and spirit to promote older adult health and well-being. Speakers also shared their insights into the latest efforts to re-open and their vision for future programming. Watch the recording below and click here for full slides.

Older Adult Learning and Technology: Best Practices and Resources

Providing opportunities for older adults to develop and expand their technology knowledge and skills helps to support social engagement. The August 27 engAGED webinar focused on older adult learning and technology. Older Adults Technology Services (OATS) described options and best practices for teaching technology to older adults, shared key resources and highlighted emerging practices for hybrid in-person and online learning. The National Resource Center for Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes shared how the Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes offer educational opportunities to older adults, with an emphasis on technology training and online learning opportunities. Western Illinois Area Agency on Aging shared information on their Bridging the Digital Divide program, including an overview of the program, lessons learned, outcomes and tips for others to consider in replicating the program. Watch the recording below and click here for full slides.

Serving LGBTQ Older Adults: Innovative Approaches to Help LGBTQ Older Adults Stay Engaged

In recognition of Pride Month, engAGED hosted a webinar on June 22 focused on social engagement among LGBTQ older adults. During the webinar, SAGE Advocacy and Services for LGBT Elders highlighted social isolation in the LGBTQ community and some of SAGE’s efforts to address it. AgeOptions and Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley and North Shore shared programs and services they offer geared toward LGBTQ older adults and how other organizations can develop similar opportunities to help LGBTQ older adults stay engaged and connected. Watch the recording below and click here for full slides.

Serving Asian American and Pacific Islander Older Adults: Programs and Practices to Help AAPI Older Adults Stay Engaged

In honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, engAGED: The National Resource Center for Engaging Older Adults hosted a webinar focused on social engagement among AAPI older adults. On the May 26 webinar, the National Asian Pacific Center on Aging shared important cultural considerations for the Aging Network when working with AAPI older adults and how their Senior Community Service Employment Program is addressing social isolation. Attendees also heard from South Shore Elder Services and Bilingual International Assistant Services on programs they offer geared toward AAPI older adults and how other organizations can replicate similar programs in their community to keep AAPI older adults engaged. Watch the recording below and click here for full slides.

More Than Books: Libraries As Hubs for Social Connection

In communities across the country, libraries provide valuable services, programs and initiatives that enhance the quality of life of community members. Libraries can also serve as a key partner for the Aging Network in helping older adults stay engaged and connected to their communities. The April 19 engAGED webinar featured speakers from three Area Agencies on Aging, including a member of the American Library Association, who highlighted innovative partnerships their AAAs have formed with libraries, how they have enhanced partnerships during COVID-19 to address increased social isolation and how other Aging Network organizations can create similar partnerships and programs. Watch the recording below and click here for full slides.

Social Engagement and Nutrition: Innovations for Today and the Future

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, congregate nutrition and home-delivered meal programs quickly adapted to meet nutrition needs while finding creative ways to offer critical social engagement opportunities for older adults in the home. The March 23 engAGED webinar featured speakers from the National Association of Nutrition and Aging Services Programs, Meals on Wheels America and the Northern Arizona Council of Governments Area Agency on Aging on how nutrition programs have innovated to address social isolation during the pandemic. As we met the one-year mark of the pandemic, speakers also addressed the future of social engagement through nutrition programs. Watch the recording below and click here for full slides.

Addressing Social Isolation Through Senior Housing During COVID-19

While the COVID-19 pandemic has led to the need for physical distancing, the Aging Network has found creative ways to continue to offer opportunities for engagement to address social isolation in senior housing facilities. The February 24 engAGED webinar featured speakers from the American Association of Service Coordinators, Area Office on Aging of Northwestern Ohio, Inc. and Atlanta Regional Commission on how they are addressing social isolation in senior housing through different initiatives and partnerships. Watch the recording below and click here for full slides.

Providing Unique Lifelong Learning Opportunities During COVID-19

Lifelong learning offers older adults an opportunity to engage in activities that enrich their lives and contribute to healthy aging. The January 21 focused on lifelong learning as a form of social engagement. Speakers from the National Resource Center for Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes, SeniorsPlus (an Area Agency on Aging based in Lewiston, ME) and PSS (a nonprofit based in New York City) shared how they have adapted lifelong learning efforts in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to continue to offer social engagement opportunities. Speakers also offered tips to help organization create lifelong learning offerings or adapt existing offerings during the pandemic. Watch the recording below and click here for full slides.

Social Engagement During the Holidays: Creative Initiatives and Resources

For many older adults, the holidays will look different this year as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The December 9 engAGED webinar focused on social engagement during the holidays, spotlighting initiatives and resources to help older adult clients celebrate the holiday season, even when they can’t be with family and friends in person. The Eldercare Locator highlighted its annual Home for the Holidays campaign, Older Adults Technology Services (OATS) shared creative technology solutions that organizations can use to help older adults engage virtually, and the Baltimore County Department of Aging and Oasis highlighted virtual holiday programming efforts they are offering to foster engagement during the holiday season. Watch the recording below and click here for full slides.

Serving American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Elders: Creative Approaches to Keep Elders Engaged During COVID-19

In recognition of National Native American Heritage Month, engAGED: The National Resource Center for Engaging Older Adults held a webinar on November 20 with the Administration for Community Living, the National Indian Council on Aging, and the Northern Cheyenne Tribe Title VI program focused on social engagement interventions for American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian elders. Speakers also shared how Title VI Native American aging programs are creatively addressing social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic to keep elders engaged. Watch the recording below and click here for full slides.

SHIP AND SMP volunteer engagement during covid-19

Volunteers are the backbone of the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) and the Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP), and older adult volunteers with both programs benefit from the social engagement opportunity that volunteering provides. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to new challenges and new opportunities for SHIP and SMP volunteers. This October 27 webinar highlights how SHIPs and SMPs have adapted in response to COVID-19 to ensure older adults can continue to volunteer and engage with both programs remotely. Watch the recording below and click here for full slides.

Creative Engagement: Successful Approaches to Creatively Engage with Older Adults

As organizations continue to find new ways to engage older adults throughout the COVID-19 crisis, creative engagement activities help older adults explore their creativity while bringing purpose and inspiration to their lives. This August 25, 2020 webinar will highlight creative engagement initiatives, how to integrate creative engagement into your work and two local examples of creative engagement activities within the Aging Network, including COVID-19 adaptations. Watch the recording below and click here for full slides.

Alone Together: Understanding Social Isolation in Caregiving
in the U.S. 2020

Communities in the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic are now grappling with social isolation—and data shows that 21 percent of caregivers of adults reported feeling alone. engAGED hosted a webinar on July 20,2020 with the National Alliance for Caregiving to hold on a conversation on the findings of a new report, Caregiving in the U.S. 2020. The national study of more than 1,400 caregivers paints a portrait of the state of caregiving in an aging America. Watch the recording below to hear insights and outcomes of the report. Click here for the full slides.

Older Adults Continue to Make Their Mark Even in the Midst of a Pandemic

In observance of Older Americans Month of May, our webinar highlights the 2020 theme of “Make your Mark“. This webinar recording features the innovative tactics an Area Agency on Aging and a senior center have adopted to help their respective older volunteers engage safely from their homes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Click here for the full slides.

Capacity Building for Remote Programming During COVID-19

This engAGED webinar highlights strategies and opportunities for developing virtual programs to promote engagement. Alex Galzebrook, the Director of Operations for Older Adults Technology Services, presents ways that organizations can move their programs to a remote format. Access the slides here and find responses to questions submitted by attendees here.

Mobile and Socially Connected: engAGEment Fostered
by Transportation Access

Connecting older adults to available transportation options in their communities provides an opportunity to foster and maintain social connections. Without the vital connections made through transportation, individuals may feel a loss of independence and reduce involvement in social activities and/or personal hobbies. This engAGED webinar held on March 19, 2020, highlights programs that have been successful in using transportation as a mechanism to prevent social isolation among older adults. Click here for the full slides.