Blog

The Impact of Social Distancing on Older Adults

People over the age of 65 are at higher risk for complications and death from COVID-19. But that’s not the only way this pandemic is disproportionately impacting older adults. Social distancing and other pandemic control strategies can take a particular toll on older individuals, some of whom don’t have access to or experience with the technologies like FaceTime and Zoom that are helping many people feel connected in this time. Lindsay Kobayashi, assistant professor of Epidemiology at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, talks about her new study that looks at the impact of social distancing on older adults and discusses how we can help the older individuals in our families and communities cope during this time.

Social Distancing 2.0: A New Normal

We are all getting antsy, wondering when we can return to work, see our friends and family in person, and get back to some sense of normal. Meanwhile, we might notice a planned temporary hospital wasn’t built or that some data on the local news seems to show a reduction in the spread of coronavirus. What are we supposed to do with these emerging shades of gray in a situation that felt so black and white not too long ago? In this episode, Abram Wagner, research assistant professor of epidemiology at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, helps us think through these questions.

Coronavirus Hits Home: How the Pandemic Impacts Housing and Health

The effects of the coronavirus pandemic have been damaging to the economy, and now many are finding that it’s also intensifying the existing shortcomings of housing and health in the United States as about 22 million people have lost their main sources of income. There’s also an even greater risk of spread of COVID-19 for those who don’t have the ability to “stay at home”. In this episode, Roshanak Mehdipanah, an assistant professor of Health Behavior and Health Educations at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, explains how the devastation caused by the coronavirus pandemic is spreading further than the disease is transmitted and how federal aid for housing support may not be enough to prevent negative outcomes in housing for years to come.

Ensuring Access to Mental Health Services During the Pandemic and Beyond

The coronavirus pandemic has turned our lives upside-down. The uncertainty of a global crisis—layered with the challenges of job losses, school closures, lifestyle changes, and social isolation—can generate stress, anxiety, and depression. And for those who previously relied on face-to-face contact with therapists or support groups to cope with mental health issues or substance use disorders, this situation presents an additional challenge. Since the beginning of this crisis, there has been significant focus on ensuring hospitals have enough health care workers to manage a huge surge in patients with COVID-19. Angela Beck, a clinical assistant professor of Health Behavior and Health Education at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, explains why it’s also important to evaluate the capacity of the mental health workforce to respond to an equally inevitable spike in people struggling with mental and behavioral health issues during this pandemic and into the future.

High-Risk: Diabetes in the time of Coronavirus

According to the American Diabetes association, more than 34 million Americans have diabetes. That's 1 out of every 10 people. The CDC says, all of those people are “at higher risk for severe illness” from coronavirus because of this chronic illness. In this episode, we speak with Gretchen Piatt, an associate professor and the Associate Chair for Education within the Department of Learning Health Sciences at the University of Michigan Medical School as well as an associate professor of Health Behavior and Health Education in the School of Public Health. As a chronic disease epidemiologist, she specializes in health care issues around diabetes. Piatt explains why diabetics have been labeled a high-risk group during the COVID-19 pandemic, talks about their unique risks, and shares what we can do to keep this large population of Americans safe through this emergency.

A National Hotspot: The Coronavirus in Detroit