COVID-19: SUPPORT THE NCOA COVID-19 COMMUNITY RESPONSE FUND

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People are isolated and they’re afraid. This pandemic is not going anywhere. The economic fallout, we haven’t even begun to feel and it’s going to affect our ability to provide those vital services to which many of these senior citizens need and have become accustomed to. Aww, this, this is a lifeline, it’s critical to have something like that. As you can see, I live out in the suburbs here and, and to have interaction with somebody like this that’s consistent all the time, you know, gives me a, a sense of security, and which is very important for me at my age and where I’m, and where I’m living. A lady called me the other day, we’re just calling just to find out if you’re o-k. You’re doing good? Well, that’s good, I’m glad. That means a lot. It means I’m important. It means that all of us who are participants—I don’t want to start crying—but it means that we’re important. It’s the way things are, they call me every day, you know, to see if I need anything, if I’m sick or if I’m feeling bad. My own family don’t do that. That makes me feel good. Somebody cares. They are my heroes. They have done so much for us and may God keep them safe. If we aren’t feeding them and they don’t have the other supports in their life, where are they going to get their food, who is going to move them so that they’re not getting sores, being able to provide someone with the equipment they need to live independently in their own home might not be available anymore. Older adults are the last to be put on the table for discussion. They feel like we’ve been here, now it’s time for us to move on. But we still have a lot to offer. We have so much knowledge and education that we can share with people, with young people, even with my grandkids. That’s what it’s all about: outreach, reaching out to the ones who are more vulnerable than the others. To be appreciated. We need to take care of who took care of us. We need to start taking care of them.