The FAMCare Blog

The pandemic significantly affected all of us in one way or another but decimated our senior population. Social workers report that elderly survivors have been left with lingering feelings of dread and abandonment that continue to affect the quality of the little life they have left.

Total Number of COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. 

1,101,953

85 and older - 295,010

75-84 ---          287,729

65-74 ---          248,635

Total Over 65          831,374 (75%)

Tom Wolfe labeled the baby boomers the "Me" generation and the label has been applied to every generation since. GenZers and Millennials have been accused of pathological self-involvement and narcissism resulting from the "helicopter" parents that raised them. This blog thinks, however, that this continued characterization is unfair and would like to recount a story about kindness and empathy across generations.

Health care social workers are reporting an uptick in patients complaining of persistent symptoms after recovering from a bout with COVID-19. Social media has already named these unconfirmed diagnoses Long Covid, and the public is beginning to take their own pulse and check fitness stats on their iPhones and Fitbits. Social workers tell us it is too early to scientifically ascertain whether these reported symptoms are an unexpected permanent consequence of the SARS-CoV-2 infection or if the symptoms are a variety of the immediate consequences of COVID-19.

The coronavirus pandemic has presented nonprofit organizations with new and unexpected challenges. To address these challenges, several sectors have redesigned their operations and concentrated their efforts on education and safe pandemic awareness.

They've discovered new ways to dispel myths, validate facts, and disseminate them to other organizations and individuals in a variety of ways. Several organizations that had already implemented case management software were able to continue working remotely while avoiding infection risk.

During the COVID-19 crisis, almost 9.6 million Americans lost their jobs. Searching for the right job is difficult, with continuous rejection and unpleasant interviews. Job-search stress has been connected to mental health problems like depression and anxiety.  Fortunately, non-profit organizations are working to open new doors for unemployed people to help them find a job. Nonprofits that specialize in workforce development provide job seekers with the resources and training they require to find work and succeed. A startling number of individuals are now receiving assistance from nonprofits that focus on workforce development.

Let's explore how unemployment contributes to mental health concerns and how nonprofits assist job seekers in finding the right job.

As the COVID-19 pandemic begins to recede after killing 1,000,000 of our fellow citizens in two years, social workers who deal in public policy are asking the question, "How did our society let this deadly disease get so out of control and do so much damage?"

The entire civilized world is suffering from a form of collective PTSD. Social workers report being overwhelmed with cases of alcoholism, drug addiction, anxiety, divorce, depression, and suicide. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention says: "Suicide rates in the United States are often the result of circumstances beyond the individual's control. People who die by suicide report an unshakeable feeling of dread, despair, loneliness, and hopelessness."

COVID-19 has drastically changed the whole world. From food shortages to problems in the healthcare sector, we’ve seen a wide range of problems since the start of the pandemic in 2020. In these challenging circumstances, NGOs play a vital role in helping individuals get their lives back on track.

Here's a few examples of how NGO's are adapting in an ever-changing pandemic era.  They are finding different ways to rise to the needs and demands placed on them during these turbulent times. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused social workers to take a closer look at their ingrained prejudices when dealing with the aged. Robert N. Butler coined the term “ageism" in 1969 to describe attitudes, practices, and policies that discriminate against older people. Ageism occurs when people face stereotypes, prejudice, or discrimination because of their age. The assumption that all older people are frail and helpless is a common, incorrect stereotype. Prejudice can consist of feelings such as “older people are unpleasant and difficult to deal with.” Discrimination is evident when older adults’ needs aren’t recognized and respected or when they’re treated less favorably than younger people. Social workers who work with the elderly are realizing that even in their minds age is “a category of difference” like race and gender, but unlike race and gender, age positions older adults as a homogenous group with similar needs.

It’s been estimated that globally, around 76 million people have been diagnosed with anxiety disorders due to the pandemic. Many of these people were healthy individuals with no previously diagnosed mental health issues. Others were already diagnosed with mental health issues, but the virus served as a trigger for their disorders and made them worse.

Nonetheless, social workers across the US have played an important role in ensuring that people suffering from mental health issues during the pandemic have the necessary psychological support to survive the pandemic.