Monthly Scoop: April 2020

Thank you to all who attended our second virtual Boston Bridge Meeting in April. These are indeed trying times and it is wonderful to connect with friends when we can. 

In lieu of our scheduled speaker (Maureen Bisognano was moved to our September meeting), our own Taylor Patskanick presented the results of the Boston Bridge survey. It was good to see that Boston Bridge is meeting many of your professional needs, and good to receive input into what we can do to make that experience even better. The second part of our meeting provided the opportunity to share our experiences during this COVID-19 pandemic. So many of you are working from home to serve our older population and ensure their safety and good health. You do amazing work and are heroes, too! 

Announcements:

  • Careers in Aging Week:
    • The Massachusetts Gerontology Association (MGA) is celebrating Careers in Aging Week, April 19-25. As part of that celebration, they are sharing the Gerontological Society of America’s (GSA) online, multi-module course titled, “Ageism First Aid”. Originally intended for college virtual classrooms, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is being offered free of charge to all MGA members through July 1, 2020. If it is of interest for you or your professional colleagues, check it out here.
  • AgeLab scholarships open to high school students:
    • Five $5,000 OMEGA Scholarships are available this year to high school juniors and seniors across the U.S. who are working to connect older and younger generations. Applications and recommendation letters are due May 15.

For Our May Meeting:

Join our Zoom discussion with Lou Woolf, President and CEO of Hebrew SeniorLife, a top provider of senior care in the Boston area and a national leader in redefining the experience of aging. In light of our ever-changing world, Lou will be discussing his organization’s philosophy and approach as a front line service provider during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how that fits (or doesn’t) with their organizational culture. Please be sure to join us on Wednesday, May 20th, from 6:00 – 7:30 PM. Instructions to join the Zoom meeting will be sent with the RSVP forms.


Articles

  • During this pandemic, many articles have been written about age and vulnerability. Taking aim at the idea of prioritizing lives when it comes to treatment for COVID-19, Dr. Louise Aronson, a geriatrician and professor of medicine at the University of California San Francisco, says that choosing who can live or die is a Draconian idea that may be a failure not only of compassion, but of the spirit of innovation. Read about it here.
  • This opinion piece shares a message about the pandemic and ageism: “The most dangerous manifestation of ageism during the pandemic is the suggestion of an age limit for medical treatment, so it won’t be ‘wasted’. A public health emergency can indeed make it necessary to allocate resources by health status.” This article explains.
  • The MIT AgeLab has recently studied the impact of COVID-19 on people’s lives. Through surveys, interviews, and phone calls covering everyone from “Zoomers to Boomers” they have begun an important study of the effects of this pandemic. These infographics tell the story. 
  • Research studies from MIT and the Brookings Institution take on this same issue. Findings imply that since many people have been working at home during COVID-19, this may forever change the future of work. Is that a good thing or bad? Read about it here. 
  • Ariel Sherry, Boston Bridge Vice President, works at Cake, an online platform that helps people navigate mortality and do end-of-life planning. During this pandemic, she has written a blog titled “3 Tips for Coping with Loss and Grief during COVID-19”. It is personal, beautifully written, and worth sharing with anyone facing loss at this time. Read Ariel’s blog here. 

Uplifting News

In spite of this pandemic, there are many lighter moments and heartwarming ways people have found to help others and bring smiles into our lives. These next few items should leave us all feeling better!

  • Whether you are a mom, or just need your mom at this difficult time, this article from the website Motherly provides some feel-good stories. Read them here.
  • And from Elle magazine in the UK come 55 feel-good stories. Enjoy these very short vignettes.
  • Don’t miss the weekly episodes of John Krasinski’s Some Good News on YouTube. Watch ALL the episodes (four as of this writing) and give yourself some belly laughs and warmhearted smiles. See it here.

If you would like to share with Boston Bridge something especially “cool” that you and/or your organization is doing to make life better for others, or to bring smiles to faces (even if they are under masks), please send it to us at bostonbridgeinc@gmail.com.

We look forward to seeing you on May 20th. Meanwhile stay well, and stay home!

Barbara Friedman and Colleen Morrissey, Boston Bridge Board Members