Vancouver, Wash. – The Clark County Commission on Aging is focusing this year on the road to recovery from COVID-19, especially for people 65 and older. The coronavirus pandemic has had a significant impact on older adults in Clark County, as around the world. According to the CDC, older adults are at greater risk of requiring hospitalization or dying if they are diagnosed with COVID-19. The pandemic raised concerns regarding the health and well-being of older adults, especially the community’s most vulnerable. What have we learned so that we are better prepared in the future?

The year-long focus will educate and raise awareness about how we can learn from the COVID-19 health crisis and recover in a way that makes Clark County more resilient for residents of all ages.

Meetings are at 4:30 pm on the third Wednesday of each month. Meetings are currently in an online format.

The commission has invited experts to join a moderated discussion on specific topics. Members discuss the topic with their guests and answer questions from the audience. Here is a tentative schedule of the 2021 topics:

• March 17 – Overview of the road to recovery from COVID-19 for older adults
• April 21 – First and early responders
• May 19 – Serious illness and caregiver support
• July 21 – Food as medicine
• Aug. 18 – Social determinants of health
• Sept. 15 – Opportunities for social connections
• Oct. 20 – Personal economics and financial recovery

Dr. Melissa Cannon, Associate Professor of Gerontology at Western Oregon University, and Neil Degerstedt, Regional Ombudsman with the Washington Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, will kick off the discussion series on March 17. Cannon and Degerstedt will talk about the various stops along the road to recovery from a pandemic that greatly impacts older adults.

For information on how to join and participate in a commission online meeting, please visit https://clark.wa.gov/community-planning/commission-aging-meetings.

The Commission on Aging, supported by the Clark County Council, is a nine-member volunteer group that implements the Aging Readiness Plan and provides leadership addressing needs of aging community members. For more about the commission, please visit www.clark.wa.gov/aging.

Commission meetings are carried on CVTV Channel 23 and online at www.cvtv.org. To see replay times, go to www.cvtv.org.

CONTACT:

Jacqui Kamp, Community Planning 
564.397.4913, jacqui.kamp@clark.wa.gov 
Jenna Kay, Community Planning 
564.397.4968, jenna.kay@clark.wa.gov