Author: Aditya Kumar

Since the roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccine began, independent living communities for older adults have had to become resourceful in responding to the needs of residents. Traveling to a clinic to receive the vaccine can be challenging for many people in independent living homes. With access to vaccines still limited, Lutheran Services in America member The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society and Sanford Health got creative in bringing the vaccine to those who need it most.

Sanford Health, which merged with the Good Samaritan Society in 2019, sent a mobile clinic to two Good Samaritan Society residential communities in South Dakota. The on-site vaccination service gave a literal shot in the arm to 108 residents!

The mobile clinic is just one example of Sanford’s and the Good Samaritan Society’s commitment to offering residents a full assortment of health services that cover the whole lifespan of an individual, from maternity care to hospice.

Bringing their services under a common roof enables Sanford to focus on providing even more wellness programs for residents while the Good Samaritan Society can expand its acute care services, such as those offered under its Medicare Advantage institutional special needs plan (I-SNP). Beneficiaries of its I-SNP, for instance, experience a rehospitalization rate that is 30 percent lower than the rate of unmanaged populations—a testament to the organization’s focus on preventing hospitalizations and improving care management.

The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society is a member of Lutheran Services in America, a network of more than 300 health and human service organizations located in more than 1,400 communities across the United States. Together, the network makes a difference in the lives of one in 50 Americans every year.

Learn more about the Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society.

By Christopher Findlay, Senior Marketing Manager

Nearly two in five Americans have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and one-fifth have been completely vaccinated. Yet ensuring the equitable distribution of vaccines still remains challenging for one group of people in particular: Americans experiencing homelessness.

Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry is doing what it can to level the playing field and guarantee that hundreds of people experiencing homelessness in Cleveland have access to the vaccine. Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry recently worked with the city of Cleveland, the Cuyahoga County Board of Health, and MetroHealth System to fully vaccinate 500 people at its Men’s Shelter, the largest homeless shelter in Ohio.

State-mandated age and health prerequisites for vaccination were waived due to the high risk associated with the congregate living setting. Lifting these requirements allowed Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry staff to coordinate with healthcare workers to make sure as many people who received the first shot also received a second—a task that’s at times challenging when working with people facing unstable housing.

Challenging, but very much doable, and the ministry has no plans to slow down yet.

Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry is a member of Lutheran Services in America, a network of 300 health and human service organizations located in more than 1,400 communities across the United States. Together, the network makes a difference in the lives of one in 50 Americans every year.

Learn more about Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry.

By Christopher Findlay, Senior Marketing Manager

Education professionals, children and parents alike are eager to return to in-person instruction more than a year after the pandemic shuttered schools and childcare centers across the country. With safety the clear priority, the push to reopen coincides with a simultaneous drive to ensure all childhood education staff receive the opportunity to get their COVID-19 vaccine.

The pandemic forced Lutheran Services Florida to shut down its Duval Head Start Program in November. Formed in 2014, the program prepares children — particularly those from underserved communities — for kindergarten with high-quality early childhood education. More than 1,400 children from low-income households in Jacksonville are enrolled in the program.

In an effort to control the spread of the virus, LSF partnered with Agape Family Health to vaccinate the program’s teachers and their families. The health center ultimately administered 200 doses of the vaccine! The shots undoubtedly provide a new semblance of normality for LSF staff and the families for which they provide services.

Lutheran Services Florida is a member of Lutheran Services in America, a network of 300 health and human service organizations located in more than 1,400 communities across the United States. Together, the network makes a difference in the lives of one in 50 Americans every year.

Learn more about Lutheran Services Florida.

By Christopher Findlay, Senior Marketing Manager

Inadequate access to transportation remains an underlying source of inequity during the COVID-19 vaccination process across the country. This is especially true for many older adults and people with disabilities who live in rural communities where vaccination rates are reportedly at least five percentage points lower than in urban areas.

To help address this problem, Lutheran SeniorLife is assisting the most vulnerable in its communities by hitting the road and bringing the vaccine straight to them. The organization’s Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) of Western Pennsylvania began enabling nurses to provide a COVID-19 vaccine to anyone who is either homebound or resides in a skilled nursing facility or personal care home. What’s more, if the individual in the skilled nursing facility is due for a second dose of the vaccine but is discharged to their home, the organization’s nurses will make a house call to administer the vaccine.

The organization’s VNA initiative is just the latest COVID-related effort to keep its communities safe. Lutheran SeniorLife created a series of safety protocols it dubs “WearWashWatch.” These three W’s include:

• Wearing masks
• Washing hands
• Watching your distance

Together, with its forward-thinking vaccination campaign and its safety guidelines, Lutheran SeniorLife is protecting its community and helping to ensure equal access to the vaccine for so many.

Lutheran SeniorLife is a member of Lutheran Services in America, a network of 300 health and human service organizations located in more than 1,400 communities across the United States. Together, the network makes a difference in the lives of one in 50 Americans every year.

Learn more about Lutheran SeniorLife.

By Christopher Findlay, Senior Marketing Manager

For many Chicago residents, 2020 was a year fraught with multiple crises. As mandatory lockdowns stemming from a once-in-a-lifetime health crisis forced people to stay home as institutions closed, violent crime steadily rose to unprecedented levels, with more than 700 homicides recorded by the end of the year.[i]

The spike in crime posed new safety concerns for many children and families who were confined to fierce gun violence in lower-income neighborhoods, particularly on Chicago’s West Side. At Holy Family Ministries’ Holy Family School, the safety and wellbeing of its students—from COVID-19 and violent crime—was top of mind during last year’s closure.[ii]

The school, which teaches students from pre-Kindergarten through eighth grade, jumped at the opportunity to reopen at the start of the 2020–2021 academic year and act as both a learning center and a place of refuge for many of its students. Holy Family, a Christian school whose students are 98 percent Black and 2 percent Hispanic, makes it a priority to instill conflict resolution into its students by conducting “Peace Exchange” programs starting from pre-school age where children learn to avoid and resolve conflicts peacefully.

Holy Family School offers a stellar academic program that places students on a path to success after graduation. Notably, all students who have attended Holy Family have been accepted into selective college preparatory high schools.

Holy Family Ministries is a member of Lutheran Services in America, a network of 300 health and human service organizations located in more than 1,400 communities across the United States. Together, the network makes a difference in the lives of one in 50 Americans every year.

Learn more about Holy Family Ministries.

By Christopher Findlay, Senior Marketing Manager

[i] Holmes, Evelyn, and Alexis McAdams. “Chicago reports 700 murders so far in 2020, Cook County on track to break homicide record.” WLS-TV Chicago. December 1, 2020. https://abc7chicago.com/chicago-police-homicides-murder-report/8424707/

[ii] Rockett, Darcel. “Holy Family School in North Lawndale is a success story — and it stems from the word ‘family,’ offering a safety net in uncertain times.” Chicago Tribune. March 22, 2021. https://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/ct-life-holy-family-ministry-school-0319-20210322-efjhatphrfdhbcubszcl64exyy-story.html

Shortly after the first COVID-19 vaccines were approved late last year, a race swung into full gear to vaccinate the people most at risk, including older adults. While the administration of vaccines was generally a success, the campaign experienced some inequitable road bumps.

Older adults living in affordable housing units remained a key target for vaccination during the early distribution stages. For many health and human service providers, the Pharmacy Partnership for Long-Term Care Program became a gateway for obtaining the first doses of the vaccines. Fortunately, Family Health Centers at NYU Langone, a federally qualified health center in New York, was able to offer the first round of the vaccine to older adults and staff at its affordable housing sites in Brooklyn by the end of January.

Despite enduring one of the most challenging periods in its history, Family Health Centers at NYU Langone maintained its high level of care over the last year. The organization surpassed many national quality care benchmarks in 2020 and continued to provide routine healthcare services in a safe environment. One factor behind the centers’ success: the creation of a new population health management alert in its electronic health record (EHR).[i] The new EHR alert helped close gaps in care for chronic disease treatment, prevention, and wellness.

Family Health Centers at NYU Langone is a member of Lutheran Services in America, a network of 300 health and human service organizations located in more than 1,400 communities across the United States. Together, the network makes a difference in the lives of one in 50 Americans every year.

Learn more about Family Health Centers at NYU Langone.

By Christopher Findlay, Senior Marketing Manager

[i] Family Health Centers at NYU Langone. “Family Health Centers at NYU Langone Surpass Quality Care Benchmarks During the COVID-19 Pandemic.” April 7, 2021. https://nyulangone.org/news/family-health-centers-nyu-langone-surpass-quality-care-benchmarks-during-covid-19-pandemic.

Researchers found that having new, diverse experiences on a regular basis enhances happiness.[i] Our desire to create positive new memories is intergenerational, a universal trait spanning all ages. Forming bonds with others is part of the human experience, and as we get older, retaining existing relationships while making new ones becomes ever more important. New experiences are a key part of the journey to maintaining good health and well-being.

Immanuel in Omaha, Nebraska, is well-versed in meeting these life-changing expectations of older adults. The 134-year-old organization balances safety with the well-being of its residents, with retirement services designed to empower older adults to live a lifestyle of freedom, dignity, independence and safety. Immanuel offers a complimentary guide to leading healthy lifestyles in retirement. One of Immanuel’s communities recently launched a health and wellness class, “Gold ‘N Beats,” where residents explored their musical skills and discovered unearthed talent! Innovative programs like this earned Immanuel’s The Landing community the designation of best senior living community in Lincoln, Nebraska, through Lincoln’s Choice Awards.

As we transition toward a post-pandemic environment, the staff at Immanuel continues to support residents with check-ins, care packages and other ways to boost their experience and happiness.

Immanuel is a member of Lutheran Services in America, a network of 300 health and human service organizations located in more than 1,400 communities across the United States. Together, the network makes a difference in the lives of one in 50 Americans every year.

Learn more about Immanuel.

By Christopher Findlay, Senior Marketing Manager

[i] Stieg, C. “A change of scenery can boost your well-being and mood — here’s how to do it safely.” CNBC. June 14, 2020. https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/14/study-new-experiences-and-scenery-can-boost-your-well-being.html.

The collective image of aging in the public consciousness tends to focus on the physical changes that occur over time. Yet maintaining one’s wellbeing relies just as much on the emotional as it does on the physical.

St. Luke Lutheran Community in Canton, Ohio, understands this important connection and seeks to lift the spirits of local older adults on a regular basis. To keep things fun, the community plans activities around themed days throughout the year, such as National Senior Health & Fitness Day and National Hamburger Day. St. Luke even partnered with the Raptor Hallow Sanctuary to have owls and other birds of prey stop by for a visit! The same goes for St. Luke staff, who dressed up according to a different theme each day during National Skilled Nursing Week.

The community also incorporates days of service in which it has the opportunity to give back to others. St. Luke staff participated in the Western Reserve Hospital Senior Coalition’s “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” event, where they packed and delivered 150 baseball-themed bags to older adults in the area.

Keeping its residents safe is still the priority for St. Luke. Despite the loosening of pandemic restrictions in the local community, St. Luke still requires all guests to wear masks when entering its facilities. In addition, the community helps to provide resources for anyone who is interested in receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.

St. Luke Lutheran Community is a member of Lutheran Services in America, a network of 300 health and human service organizations located in more than 1,400 communities across the United States. Together, the network makes a difference in the lives of one in 50 Americans every year.

Learn more about St. Luke Lutheran Community.

By Christopher Findlay, Senior Marketing Manager

Nearly nine out of 10 older adults want to remain in their home as they age. Addressing the unique challenges associated with independent living as an older adult is a core part of the Lutheran Services in America network’s work to support one in 50 Americans, especially older adults in low-income, rural communities.

St. John’s United in Billings, Montana, created its “At Home” program to help address key social determinants of health for older adults living within its community. People living in rural communities often experience high levels of social isolation and loneliness as they age. The impact of social distancing measures during the COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated the problem.[i] “At Home” seeks to remedy this significant issue by bringing independent older adults together in a supportive environment designed to help residents make the most of their retirement years.

The “At Home” program is an extension of the organization’s larger focus on supporting older adults with home-based care. St. John’s United is part of the Great Plains Senior Services Collaborative, a Lutheran Services in America initiative that expands community-based services to improve the health and quality of life for low-income seniors in rural communities across Montana, as well as North Dakota and Minnesota. Together, St. John’s United and Lutheran Services in America support people who struggle with limited resources, isolated settings and social determinants of health such as inadequate transportation and home maintenance.

St. John’s United is a member of Lutheran Services in America, a network of 300 health and human service organizations located in more than 1,400 communities across the United States. Together, the network makes a difference in the lives of one in 50 Americans every year.

Learn more about St. John’s United in our 2020 Annual Report.

By Christopher Findlay, Senior Marketing Manager

[i] Davis, Michael R. “Pandemic Has Created Loneliness Epidemic, New Report Show.” AARP. October 8, 2020. https://www.aarp.org/home-family/friends-family/info-2020/isolation-survey-coronavirus.html.