Nevada aging network targets social isolation due to pandemic

Speaking June 11, 2020 at a hearing of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, Peter S. Reed, PhD, MPH, FGSA, director of the Sanford Center for Aging at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine told lawmakers about a new statewide coordinated aging services effort in his state. The initiative aims to enable older adults to stay home and stay safe during the pandemic while maintaining access to essentials of everyday life, health care, and social engagement. Called Nevada CAN, or the Nevada COVID-19 Aging Network Rapid Response, the effort is intended to identify and respond to older adult needs by targeting three priority focus areas: essentials of daily life such as food and medication; telehealth services; and social support. It's an initiative readers may want to explore in collaboration with appropriate organizations in their own states.