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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2021 Aug 1.
Published in final edited form as: J Gerontol Soc Work. 2020 Jun 19;63(6-7):585–588. doi: 10.1080/01634372.2020.1779161

Social Workers Must Address Intersecting Vulnerabilities Among Noninstitutionalized, Black, Latinx, and Older Adults of Color During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Megan T Ebor 1,*, Tamra B Loeb 1, Laura Trejo 2,3
PMCID: PMC8152796  NIHMSID: NIHMS1607000  PMID: 32558631

Increasing evidence indicates that health disparities, in addition to age and underlying chronic medical conditions (e.g., diabetes, heart, and lung disease), increase COIVD-19 related risks among Black, Latinx, and Older Adults of Color (BLOAC) due to long standing structural inequities in the United States (CDC, 2020a). These risks tend to be discussed individually; little attention is paid to how vulnerabilities intersect to heighten risks for serious COIVD-19 related illness and death (CDC, 2020b). Media coverage of older adults (OAs) highlight COVID-mortality rates in nursing homes; however, the vast majority of OAs in the U.S. are community dwelling (Howley, 2019); thus, noninstitutionalized BLOAC’s needs have not received adequate attention. Social workers are uniquely positioned to bring visibility to this population and address their distinctive COVID-19 vulnerabilities.

Back, Latinx and older adults of color are a rapidly growing population in the U.S. (Administration for Community Living, 2018), experiencing disproportionately high rates of preventable disease, disability, and death due to differences in sociodemographic conditions that pose barriers to prevention, health and insurance access, and treatment efforts (CDC, 2020a). Approximately 80% of COVID-related mortalities in the U.S. are among adults 65 years and older (CDC, 2020b; Nania, 2020). Physical distancing mandates will likely exacerbate long standing mental and physical health disparities among community-dwelling BLOAC (Novacek, 2020). Research has yet to identify the best way to help this population adapt to this pandemic. Social work clinicians and researchers, at the forefront of programmatic innovation, dissemination of COVID-19 related information, and linkages to care during these unprecedented times, are uniquely qualified to address the needs of BLOAC. To do so, SWs must draw upon their knowledge base that acknowledges differential access to resources (Ingrao, 2015). While strides have been made to cultivate interest in geriatric social work (GSW), this subfield lacks visibility (Sanders, 2017), yet is certain to face increased demand to address the needs of BLOAC, particularly surrounding COVID-19. The following recommendations for SW clinicians and training programs are proposed:

  1. Prioritize GSW educational and training opportunities. Gerontological content should be infused throughout SW curricula, increasing exposure to the field of GSW, awareness of the diverse needs of OA to mitigate health disparities among BLOAC, and providing GSW training opportunities in community settings to prepare SWs to work to combat adverse COIVD-19 related outcomes among BLOAC.

  2. Provide services that decrease social isolation and link clients with needed services via telehealth platforms. Social services and social clubs should adapt existing services to incorporate virtual programming. Villages and CBOs can be used to maintain social connectedness. Over 40% of OAs own smartphones and 67% have internet access; yet, only 25% feel confident accessing information online (Anderson & Perrin, 2017). Social workers can connect OAs to resources that assist with tech-utilization and promote telephone reassurance programs where trained volunteers provide calls serving as “well-checks” and provide socializing opportunities (Slootmaker, 2020).

  3. Assessments should include healthy coping opportunities to mitigate COVID-19 related stress, including religion, faith, and/or spirituality histories (significant in over 90% of OA); culturally humble practice recognizes these as resources that can provide vitality, wellbeing and optimism during crises (Kaplan et al., 2019; Malone et al., 2018). Practitioners can initiate partnerships with faith organizations to creatively maintain spiritual connections by providing trusted testing spaces for BLOAC, food distribution, modified engagement via telephone prayer lines, and virtual support groups.

COVID-19 presents complex concerns for BLOAC. A focus on GSW is needed in the field. Linking BLOAC to services using telehealth to maintain social connectedness, using modified interactions via religiosity and/or spirituality are suggested as interventions to decrease risks and promote better health management during this pandemic.

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute under Grant 3U01HL 142109–02W1.

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