While Most Vulnerable to COVID, Seniors Remain Determined to Live Their Lives
The New Wave
Officially B.1.1.529, we all know the new variant by its Greek name, Omicron. Believed to have originated in South Africa, research is still underway to ultimately determine the transmissibility and severity of the new variant. Vaccines remain critical to every variant that pops up, and Omicron is no different. Amongst vaccines, the World Health Organization (WHO) continues to recommend keeping a safe social distance, mask wearing, opening windows to improve ventilation, washing hands, and coughing or sneezing into your elbow. Sound familiar?
Seniors are Protected
With 88% of older Americans vaccinated, they’re more protected than the average citizen as the U.S. total average sits at just 62% of eligible individuals. That statistic is great as the evidence shows that older Americans are the most vulnerable to this virus. Even with this high vaccination rate, more than 75% of all COVID-19 related deaths in the United States have occurred in citizens 65 or older.
No Time to Slow Down
While many seniors understand the risks of the virus, there are also a large number of them that are determined to not spend the last of their years in isolation from family, friends, and activities they’ve grown to love. As highlighted in a recent New York Times article – Susan West of Lake Ariel in Pennsylvania suffers from multiple sclerosis and claims ” I don’t have more time in front of me – I have more time behind me. So that is getting irritating, knowing that I’m losing time for social gatherings.” Similar sentiments were shared by Alice Broughton of Kansas; ” I don’t really want to stop my life. When you’re 80, how many years do you have left, you know. You don’t want to stop doing things that are most important to you.”
Experts on Aging
Arosa’s integrated model ‘elevates care’ through the formation of teams, which consist of care professionals (caregivers, care consultants, care managers, and care specialists), who work together to craft and implement tailored care plans for clients and their families. Many of these teams have served the local communities for years (if not decades) and offer invaluable knowledge to clients and families throughout life’s aging journey.
In addition to its dedicated caregiving workforce, Arosa employs over 70 care managers across the country. These certified professionals are experienced in a variety of fields that focus on issues related to aging and/or disability; many of whom are credentialed in gerontology, social work, mental health, nursing, physical therapy, and psychology.
