Supporting Social Connectedness for Seniors

The isolation of the pandemic has been challenging for my parents, as it has for many seniors. Both retired, and with multiple co-morbidities, my mom and dad have long relied on my wife, kids and me to visit them every week. We help keep them occupied and active –engaged socially, while also ensuring their medicine and daily activities are taken care of.?

To combat the inability to interact in person, we’ve done several things for my parents during the height of COVID-19: Ensured we Facetimed daily and downloaded Zoom on their phones so they could schedule meetings with their friends and other family members. To combat the inability to play games or go to the gym, I asked my son to build a website for them that included brain teasers and low impact physical activity videos.

This has been a labor of love and what I hope has had a positive impact on their health and well-being as indicated by data.

Research explores the relationship between social connectedness and physical, mental and emotional health. Some experts like Surgeon General Vivek Murthy have compared the risk factors of loneliness to that of smoking. Social integration has been shown to be so important to the health and wellbeing of humans that it is even considered a social determinant of health; studies have shown that better social relationships increase chance of survival by 50%. ?According to a 2019 report from the University of Michigan’s National Poll on Healthy Aging, one in three seniors feels lonely.

Even without the added complications of a pandemic, older adults are often more at risk for experiencing isolation; between life events such as retirement and moving, seniors may find themselves living farther away from friends and family and with less frequent social interaction. This can be especially impactful on their health and perspective as they enter a new phase of life. Some research even explores the connection between feelings of loneliness and longevity of life, supporting the idea that those who have stronger social connections are happier and live longer.

Offering resources to help seniors get active physically and socially is essential for their wellbeing. As a health plan, Priority Health recognizes our role and works hard to offer innovative solutions and useful benefits to help older adults feel connected and energized.

Innovative Thinking During Unprecedented Times ??

Last fall, as COVID-19 cases began to surge, Priority Health’s Medicare team knew they wanted to do something special for members. Our team created “Stay Well Kits” – packages containing masks, hand sanitizer, playing cards and other small items – that were mailed to all 170,000 Priority Health Medicare members. The kits were designed to let our members know we were thinking of them, while also providing materials to help them stay healthy, safe and entertained throughout the winter.?

We were overwhelmed by the gratitude our members expressed – letters, social media messages and calls came flooding in thanking our teams.

One member named Vicky wrote, “Thank you SO much for the gift box! What a caring, thoughtful, nice surprise! Love everything! Am especially thrilled with the face masks! So glad I have Priority Health in Michigan.”

Another, Marcia, shared “Received my 'Stay-Well Kit' today, I was not aware Priority Health was doing this - Thank you, Priority!!”

I am extremely proud of our teams for identifying and innovatively addressing some of the unique needs created for seniors by the pandemic.?

Member Resources to Inspire Connectedness

For many of our members, resources to connect with others and build community are embedded within their plan benefits. To help our Medicare members stay healthy physically, mentally and emotionally, we offer resources like:

• Papa Companion Care – When visiting family and friends posed significant health risks at the height of the pandemic, we knew we needed to find a way to offer seniors social connection and assistance with everyday tasks in a safe way. To address this, Priority Health partnered with Papa to offer companion care to Medicare members. Through our partnership with Papa, we’re able to connect members with college students to provide companionship and assistance with tasks like grocery shopping, prescription pickups and more.?

• Silver Sneakers – Many of our Medicare Advantage plans include access to Silver Sneakers, an exercise program designed for seniors of all fitness levels and abilities. The program includes memberships with participating local gyms, group exercise classes, and online work out classes so you can participate in whatever way you feel most comfortable.

In a recent interview, one of Priority Health’s Medicare Advantage members, Gayle, named Silver Sneakers as one of her favorite plan benefits, saying it helps her stay active and connect with peers.

“Priority Health helps me age gracefully by offering Silver Sneakers… I really do enjoy it. It gives me a sense of social connection and exercise at the same time,” Gayle said.

• ?Fitness Courts – In addition to Silver Sneakers, Priority Health for Good and the National Fitness Campaign have teamed up to build outdoor fitness courts throughout the state. The installments offer exercise opportunities for all ages and ability levels. We’ve already seen how these courts foster community and fitness among seniors – at our court opening in Marysville, a group called the Rockin’ Retirees was excited to explore all the equipment had to offer and shared how important their exercise community is to their health. ?

As a health plan, it’s our job to look out for the wellbeing of our members, beyond their medical needs. I’m proud of our teams at Priority Health for continuing to develop creative solutions and advocate for our members to offer benefits and resources that address their needs holistically so they can lead happy, healthy lives. ?