CORONAVIRUS ALERT
The Detroit Area Agency on Aging, is working with all stakeholders to deliver services and care to our constituents as we continue to monitor the CDC recommendations regarding the coronavirus (COVID-19). As we monitor and evaluate what it takes to continue the delivery of our services, we will also explore additional actions to deliver the services people expect.
There is currently no vaccine to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus. However, as a reminder, Centers for Disease Control (CDC) always recommends everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases, including:
Handwashing is one of the best ways to protect yourself and your family from getting sick. You can help yourself and your loved ones stay healthy by washing your hands often.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water even if hands are not visibly dirty.
Follow Five Steps to Wash Your Hands the Right Way
- Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold) and apply soap.
- Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
- Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Sing the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice (out loud is best!).
- Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
- Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.
- Turn off the tap with a hand towel.
Dry well with a clean or disposable towel from the fingers up to the wrists and forearms. Drying from the cleanest area (fingertips) to the least clean (forearms) is necessary to avoid contamination.
Use Hand Sanitizer When You Can’t Use Soap and Water
Washing hands with soap and water is the best way to get rid of germs in most situations. If soap and water are not readily available, you can use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. You can tell if the sanitizer contains at least 60% alcohol by looking at the product label.
Caution! Swallowing alcohol-based hand sanitizers can cause alcohol poisoning if more than a couple of mouthfuls are swallowed. Keep it out of reach of young children or those with dementia and supervise their use.
COVID 19 UPDATE:
The Impact of COVID-19 on Those We Serve
Here’s what we want you to know about the Detroit Area Agency on Aging (DAAA):
We provide care for thousands of older people and adults with disabilities
- Our priority is to ensure that constituent needs are met and that our team members are safe.
- We continue to deliver more than 3000 meals – hot, frozen and liquid --prepared and delivered by Trio Community Meals, a national provider of meals for home-delivered and congregate meals.
- Our nutrition assessors, nurses and social workers who typically make in-home visits will serve our constituents by phone.
- Wellness checks by phone will be increased to our constituents.
- Our Team members have been given the option to work and may be working remotely.
- Our office is temporarily closed to visitors until further notice.
- DAAA is continually monitoring the protocols and communications from the CDC, State of Michigan, Wayne County and City of Detroit Health Department. We also follow the protocols of Michigan’s Aging and Adult Services Agency.
We stay connected to our providers:
- We care about the direct care workforce. These are individuals with families of their own, taking care of our community’s most at-risk population.
- We contract with home care providers whose workforce is on the front line for service delivery.
- We are committed to communication frequently with our providers to ensure any issues are addressed with the latest information.
We support a network of five Community Wellness Service Centers. These are community-based organizations with years of experience serving older adults. Community Wellness Service Centers determine their own programs and hours of operation. They all have robust healthy aging programming, supported by DAAA. Four serve community meals provided by DAAA.
- St. Patrick Senior Center in Midtown Detroit
- NSO-Northwest Wellness Center at Northwest Activities Center
- LA SED Senior Wellness Center in Southwest Detroit
- The Helm at the Boll Life Center, formerly known as Services for Older Citizens, in Grosse Pointe
- People’s Community Services in Hamtramck
We provide meals to a total of 23 congregate sites that determine their own programs and hours of operation. The sites include recreation centers and churches. Collectively, they serve some 400-500 people who are their members or service recipients.
- We were able to provide hot meals until some of the sites suspended large-group activities. For now, a number of sites continue hot meals.
- Frozen meals, enough for five days at a time, will be available for pick-up at many of these locations.
We are all in this together.
- This virus knows no race, creed, color or class. It does impact our older population the most severely because of the multiple chronic conditions that weaken their immune system. Most at risk are those with respiratory conditions.
- Those who over-stock supplies are making it hard for others to stay safe.
- Major health systems, along with the State of Michigan, have hotlines for health-related calls. People most at-risk should use the hotlines when their own doctors cannot be reached.
- Ascension Michigan: 586.498.3605
- Beaumont Health System: 248.551.7000
- State of Michigan, 888.535.6136
- We need to compare media reports. Even the most reliable news sources can get something wrong as they rush to get information on the air or in print.
- We all need to stay informed, gain knowledge, and take appropriate actions.
Looking for COVID-19 resources in Michigan? CLICK HERE
At the Detroit Area Agency on Aging, our vision is to create a community that cares for the vulnerable and advocates for the well-being of our constituents.
We all need to care about one another.
Ronald S. Taylor, President & CEO