Northeast Kingdom Council on Aging in Vermont
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NEK Council on Aging Adjusts Services to Respond to Coronavirus and COVID-19

Mel Reis • March 17, 2020

In an effort to support and inform elder and disabled Vermonters during the COVID-19 outbreak, and to keep the staff and volunteers who serve them healthy and safe, the NEK Council on Aging is implementing changes to their delivery of services to minimize the potential spread of and exposure to the coronavirus. Effective immediately, the NEKCOA is asking clients to call the helpline (800) 642-5119. Staff will no longer see clients in person and will adjust to phone, mail, or email. In this time of improved ability to work remotely, the NEKCOA will continue to provide support and guidance in helping people meet their needs.

“We are committed to serving our elder friends and neighbors, but we must be mindful of person-to-person contact. We need to adjust our service delivery to protect those we serve and to protect our dedicated staff,” said Meg Burmeister, Executive Director for the NEKCOA. “This virus, which is particularly dangerous to our most vulnerable citizens, is forcing us to be creative and rethink how to utilize technology (primarily), community volunteers, and friends and family to support our elders. We will continue to serve our clients but coordinate meetings over the phone and schedule personal meetings with notification. When you visit our offices and find the doors locked, you will know why. We are encouraging everyone to call our helpline first. Staff will support clients via phone calls, email, conference calls, WebEx (or digital conferencing), and regular mail.”

All wellness classes supported by the NEKCOA are suspended until further notice. Monthly support groups that include the Caregiver Support group held the last Monday of the month and the Kinship Support group held every first Monday of the month are also suspended. The Senior Companion program will default to phone visits only. All information relating to suspended programs is available on the NEKCOA website www.nekcouncil.org which is updated daily.

The 18 community meal site partners located throughout the NEK are also readjusting service plans to move to drive-through, delivery, or pickup. Deliveries will be dropped off at the front door/porch and the driver will wait for the person to pickup. If the driver is unable to see the person receive the meal, a phone call will be made to confirm. “We encourage residents to contact the meal sites directly since many are migrating to pick-up or delivery-only service,” said Burmeister. “A complete list of our community meal site partners is on our website under the Community Dining Site and Home Delivered Meals sections. If in doubt call our helpline.”

The NEKCOA Hardwick and Island Pond office locations, which use space provided through a partnership with Northern Counties Health Care, are suspending weekly appointments until May 1. The St. Johnsbury and Newport NEKCOA offices will remain staffed and functioning but focus on phone intervention until further notice.

The NEKCOA is committed to working with community partners which include, transit providers, mental health agencies, and others to ensure that essential services are delivered to vulnerable older Vermonters. Members of the community are encouraged to call the helpline if they are experiencing difficulties or know of someone who may be experiencing difficulties.

“We are in close contact with the state of Vermont Department of Health, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the state of Vermont’s Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living (DAIL) to guide our decision-making and to help protect the public and our staff,” said Burmeister. “We are hopeful that by working together, we will get through this crisis safely. We look forward to getting back to normal operations as soon as possible.”

Link to the CDC website for information on the COVID-19 outbreak for older and disabled residents.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/specific-groups/high-risk-complications.html


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