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Hopes for the future of older adult caretaking post-pandemic
Since 2020, COVID-19 has not only irreversibly altered the lives of many individuals but also prompted radical reconsideration and reconstruction of societal structures. In particular, the elderly community has been affected deeply by the pandemic, and the increasingly visible lack of adequate resources for older adult caretaking has made apparent the insufficiency of related policies and absence of effective social safety nets for the disadvantaged.
On the flip side, because COVID-19 exposed to individuals, communities, and governments the fragility and interconnectedness of current elderly caretaking policies, there is more likelihood of these demands being satisfied. Many organizations have since then put in effort to increase availability and accessibility of elderly caretaking resources as well as consideration for older adults when establishing new policies and services.
Due to the fast development of technology and the Internet, many digital solutions have been posed to problems resulting from COVID-19. However, studies have found that there has long since been uneven access to technological devices and proficiency levels in technology within the elderly population, and this digital divide will make it difficult for older adults to obtain the care and treatment they need.
In an effort to bridge this gap, several organizations and companies have started offering devices and internet services at more affordable prices.
Websites such as EveryoneOn and PCs for People focus on increasing the accessibility of digital devices to disadvantaged peoples. EveryoneOn helps individuals locate good deals for devices and internet services in their local area, while PCs for People sells refurbished devices to individuals enrolled in an income-based government assistance program or those with income below 200 percent of the poverty level.
Additionally, some organizations have offered programs that aim to help older adults and their caretakers learn to navigate the internet and create their own communities. Senior Planet, a service organization affiliated with the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), provides both in-person and virtual courses on using technology, as well as articles, video tutorials, or live tutoring sessions that are designed to teach older adults the basics of the internet, such as how to create a personal email account or how to stay connected with family members through Facetime or Zoom. These services and programs not only help older adults and their caretakers more easily access digital resources, but also aim to prevent the ostracization of the elderly from the busting Internet community of this digital age.
With the rise in awareness regarding internet accessibility and affordability issues within the older adult community, the burst of digital service providers certainly brought many benefits. Studies and surveys have shown that many older adults require services that were mostly canceled or offered in very limited capacity during the pandemic, such as help with housework, meal preparation, medication management, or shopping. The results of these surveys highlighted the importance of reducing care barriers and availability of telemedicine, which would not only effectively and efficiently offer older adults the assistance they need within the safety of their homes during the pandemic, but also increase accessibility of medical resources and medication management services for older adults in general. Governmental departments such as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) have also begun to offer reimbursement for routine follow-up visits via telemedicine.
With the potential popularization of telemedicine post-pandemic, it will become easier for individuals living in more remote or suburban areas with limited service providers or those with limited physical mobility to discover and obtain medical care.
