2020 Home for the Holidays Toolkit: Sample Newsletter Article

 
The holidays will look a bit different for many of us this year. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we live and interact with one another. For many older adults, this can mean a loss of social connections that, if left unaddressed, can have serious negative mental and physical health consequences. This is why [Agency Name] is participating in Home for the Holidays, a national campaign led by the Eldercare Locator and the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a), this year in partnership with the University of California, San Diego Center for Healthy Aging.
 
Launched every year during the holiday season, Home for the Holidays is intended to help families and friends discuss difficult topics with their loved ones. A new consumer brochure is the focus of this year’s campaign, Staying Connected and Healthy During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Resources for Older Adults and Caregivers, which highlights the importance of social connection, its impact on our physical and mental health—and ways the Aging Network can help older adults connect to their communities during this time of limited in-person social interactions. [Agency Name] can inform and connect consumers to programs that provide a variety of ways to stay connected to others in their communities, including [list a few of the supportive programs your agency offers locally]. This is all part of our mission to help older adults maintain existing and develop new social connections to reduce social isolation and loneliness.
 
DESCRIBE YOUR AGENCY’S SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS AND SERVICES HERE.
 
For more information about the campaign and other local resources available for older adults and their caregivers, contact [Name of Contact] at [insert email address or phone number].