Combat Social Isolation
Monroe County Office for the Aging hopes you stay safe and healthy during this pandemic!
Combating Social Isolation is something we take very seriously, so we have compiled a list of resources and activities that can keep you engaged while you are home. Be sure to check back for new additions!
General Resources
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Up-to-date information on COVID-19
Social groups & support
Friendly calling: SilverLine NY at Lifespan (585-287-6439) connects older adults with weekly friendly phone calls by volunteers.
Centro de Oro at Ibero: Spanish language senior center https://www.ibero.org/centrodeoro/
Senior Centers in Monroe County, NY: a list and contact information is available here: https://www.monroecounty.gov/aging-centers
Wellness Activities
Older Adult Services at UR Medicine: At UR Medicine’s Older Adult Services, we work together with families and individuals to provide specialized mental health care for our community’s aging population, 65 years and older.
Location: UR Medicine Mental Health & Wellness, 315 Science Pkwy, Rochester, NY 14620
Phone: (585)-273-5050
Tai Chi at OASIS: https://rochester.oasisnet.org/catalog/
Health Promotion at Lifespan (585-287-6439): https://www.lifespan-roch.org/health-wellness
Yoga at the YMCA: https://rochesterymca.org/
Silver Sneakers at the YMCA and online: https://tools.silversneakers.com/
Animatronic Companion Pets: Contact Monroe County Office for the Aging (585) 753-6280 https://joyforall.com/
Headspace
Free guided meditation
Wheelchair accessible trails in New York
Resources to Stay Connected
AARP Community Connections
Online mutual aid groups (informal groups of volunteers) that stay connected, share ideas, and help those most affected by the Coronavirus. Whether you want to start a group, find a group, or get assistance yourself, the directory can help you connect with people in your community.
AARP Foundation’s Connect2Affect website offers self-assessments of social connection, information, and resources to get connected.
NY Project Hope – Coping with COVID
The Emotional Support Line provides free and confidential support 8am-10pm, helping callers experiencing increased anxiety due to the coronavirus emergency. The Help Line is staffed by volunteers, including mental health professionals, who have received training in crisis counseling.
Phone: 1-844-863-9314
Institute on Aging Friendship Line
24-hour toll-free Friendship Line for people ages 60 and older, and adults living with disabilities. Toll-free 1-800-971-0016
Alzheimer’s Association – Rochester Chapter
Free resources, helpline, caregiver support, and information for those with dementia and their caregivers. Includes local events and activities in Monroe County and Finger Lakes region.
24/7 Helpline 1-800-272-3900
Well Connected by Covia
Connects individuals to virtual classes, conversations, and activities by phone (no internet required). Programs available in English and Spanish:
(877) 797-7299 (English)
(877) 400-5867 (Spanish)
Lifetime Connections Without Walls by Family Eldercare
Telephone activities program providing opportunities for older adults to connect with others in their community and across the country using a telephone conference call system.
(888) 500-6472 or [email protected]
Memory Well
Offering free and paid service. interactive digital timelines to help promote connection between family members through videos, pictures, audio, letters, and notes.
SAGEConnect
SAGEConnect links LGBT elders with their broader community, reducing isolation and promoting well-being. Interested individuals can register at the link provided or call the registration line at 929-484-4160.
engAGED: The National Resource Center for Engaging Older Adults provides a searchable list of promising behavioral programs to promote social connection in later life.
The Coalition to End Social Isolation & Loneliness provides a monthly newsletter to stay up-to-date on resources and research.
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s report, Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults, provides an overview of the role of healthcare in addressing social connection for older patients, including assessment in healthcare settings.
The National Institute on Aging provides a free toolkit: Social Isolation and Loneliness Outreach Toolkit
Free handouts: https://www.eenet.ca/resource/social-connection-isolated-older-adults
Additional activities and resources to support socialization
- Writing letters or sending children’s art to nursing facility residents.
- Assigning a nursing facility staff member as a primary contact for families to facilitate inbound communications as well as outbound.
- Fostering partnerships with new entities, such as local police, mail carriers, high school students and school bus drivers to pick up and deliver prescriptions, groceries, and home delivered meals for older adults.
Caregiver Resources
New York State Caregiving and Respite Coalition (NYSCRC)
Resources for caregivers during COVID-19
National Alliance for Caregiving
Tips and resources for caregivers to help manage during COVID-19
Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving
ARCH National Respite Network
Respite and caregiving resources during COVID-19
New York Connects
585-325-2800
Family Caregiver Alliance
COVID-19 Resources and articles for family caregivers
New York State Kinship Navigator
Resources for kinship caregivers in New York State
Caregiver Action Network - Caregiver Resources, Tips and Help Desk
Caregiving tips and resources for caregivers during COVID-19.
Alzheimer’s Association: Tips for Dementia Caregivers
Tips for caregivers of those with dementia living at home or in assisted living facilities, and tips for staying healthy.
Care Plan Templates
Templates on creating care plan for a loved one
The Elder Care Locator - 800-677-1116
National number for information on local aging services.
Trualta:
Extending the length of time that seniors age-in-place by building skills to help families manage care at home
https://www.trualta.com/.
Geriatric Care Management, home-delivered meals, geriatric assessment:
Lifespan (Eldersource) care navigation programs
Call Lifespan at 585-244-8400 to learn more.
https://www.lifespan-roch.org/care-navigation-planning
Care management at area senior centers located within Monroe County (link to center list from our website)
Finger Lakes Alzheimer’s Institute Services for Caregivers:
Toll-free at 844-249-7126
Geriatric Assessment Clinic at UR Medicine: This consultative program aims to maintain frail older adults in the community at the most independent level possible through comprehensive geriatric assessment.
Learn more (including a brochure): https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/medicine/geriatrics/patient-care/geriatric-assessment-clinic.aspx
The clinic is located at Monroe Community Hospital, which is wheelchair accessible and has free parking. 435 East Henrietta Road Rochester, NY 14620 Phone: (585) 760-6353
Memory Care Program at UR Medicine:
The Memory Care Program provides a range of services, including: Assessment, evaluation, and diagnostic workup; ongoing medication management and help with challenging behaviors; recommendations for treatment; information, education, and support for their care partners; referrals for community resources; opportunities to participate in research studies.
To schedule an appointment, please call (585) 273-5050.
Volunteering:
Translators Without Borders
For those who are fluent in more than one language.
Librivox - Volunteer to translate information
Read and record chapters of books in the public domain and make them available for free on the internet.
Americorps Seniors at Lifespan: AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers bring their unique skillsets and experiences to help American people and communities thrive. If you are 55 or older you can put your experience to work. We can show you how you can apply the skills and wisdom you’ve acquired throughout your life to make a positive impact on the lives of others.
https://www.lifespan-roch.org/volunteer
Contact: 585-244-8400
Americorps Seniors at the Community Place of Rochester: The Community Place of Rochester is an AmeriCorps Seniors grantee and provides two volunteer opportunities for adults age 55 and older: Foster Grandparents is an intergenerational mentoring program and Senior Companions is a peer support program for homebound older adults.
https://www.communityplace.org/get-involved/
Entertainment:
Borrow ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, and more from your local library for free.
https://www.overdrive.com/apps/libby
Listen to free audio books on Audible.
Google Earth National Park Tours
“Visit” national parks across the country and talk about which ones older adults have been to. What did they see? Who were they with?
Smithsonian’s National Zoo Animal Webcams
Watch live video streams of elephants, lions, giant pandas, and naked mole rats at the National Zoo.
National Aquarium Live Broadcasting
Tune into the Blacktip Reef, Jellies Invasion and Pacific Coral Reef livestreams and enjoy a piece of the Aquarium from home.
American Museum of Natural History
Find the latest form the Museum including blog posts and videos online.
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Self-Guided Tour
Virtual tours allow visitors to take self-guided, room-by-room tours of select exhibits and areas within the museum from their desktop of mobile device.
Google Arts & Culture
Features content from over 1,200 leading museums and archives. Available online or as a downloadable app.
Education:
DOROT University Without Walls
Offers hundreds of classes available over the telephone. DOROT’s requirement for an in-home visit by a social worker is waived for this program, but advance registration is necessary. Register by calling (877) 819-9147 or sending an e-mail to: [email protected]
Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)
MOOCs are free online courses available for anyone to enroll.
Information for Potential Elder Abuse and Adult Abuse Situations
Adult Protective Services (APS):
To report adult abuse, call (within New York State only): 1-844-697-3505 between 8:30 a.m. and 8 p.m. or contact the local county social services department’s Adult Protective Service bureau.
Monroe County Department of Human Services- Adult Protective Services
Monday-Friday, 9 am – 5 pm
585-753-6532
After-hours emergencies: 585-461-5698
NYS Domestic Violence Hotline:
1-800-942-6906 or 711 for Deaf or Hard of Hearing. They will direct you to a local resource.
