Maintaining Physical and Mental Well-Being of Older Adults and Their Caregivers During Public Health Emergencies
The National Foundation of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with technical assistance from the CDC, has issued a new report that identifies the key needs and concerns of older adults and their caregivers during the COVID-19 pandemic. About half of older adults reported receiving assistance from family, friends, neighbors or programs, most commonly check-ins, delivery of groceries and supplies and transportation. Almost half (44-percent) report feeling less socially connected, with 26-percent saying they were more lonely and sad, since the start of the pandemic.
The report also describes public health strategies to address social isolation and loneliness, deferral of medical care, management of chronic conditions and other impacts related to the pandemic.
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CDC and U.S. Department of Transportation Require Face Masks to be Worn on all Federally Funded Services
Effective February 1, the CDC requires all passengers of public transport to wear a face mask (including airplanes, ships, ferries, trains, subways, buses, taxis and ride-shares). All users must wear a mask that cover both the mouth and nose when boarding, alighting, traveling on, or disembarking public conveyances. Users must also wear masks when entering or on the premises of a transportation hub in the United States.
While many states or local governments have relaxed COVID-19 mandates, federally funded public transportation programs must adhere to these guidelines. For additional information please contact [email protected].
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Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA)
The newly released Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA) of 2021, allocates $50 million for Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities, Section 5310 formula grants. This is the first relief funding eligible for Section 5310 funded programs, and similar to the CARES Act, CRRSAA funds will be eligible at 100-percent Federal share with no local match required.
In early February, NADTC held two webinars highlighting CRRSAA for 5310 recipients. The first session featured direct and designated recipients, with the second focused on subrecipients and tribes. The webinar recordings are available on the NADTC Training and Webinars page, you can also read more on our newly released blog post.
FTA continues to update the Frequently Asked Questions page regarding coronavirus relief, in particular noting CE18, regarding the provision of transportation to or from COVID-19 vaccination sites:
"Under the Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities Program (49 U.S.C. § 5310), providing transportation for seniors and individuals with disabilities to COVID-19 vaccination sites is eligible at a 100-percent Federal share when using CRRSAA or FY 2021 or prior year unobligated funds."
More information, including a link to the January 13 informational webinar and apportionment tables, can be found on the FTA CRRSAA landing page.
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Examples of Transportation Programs Taking Riders to Vaccination Sites |
NADTC has been collecting examples on our COVID-19 Resources page, of transit programs across the United States who are providing rides for people going to COVID-19 vaccination sites. Below are two program examples:
Community Volunteer Transportation Company typically provides rides for grocery shopping and medical appointments for residents in 34 towns within the Monadnock Region in rural New Hampshire. Recently, the non-profit organization sent letters to their riders notifying them that volunteer drivers will be providing transportation to vaccination clinics across the state. This service will be available on both weekdays and weekends.
Linn County LIFTS (Iowa) will be providing free rides for County residents in need of transportation assistance to scheduled and confirmed COVID-19 vaccination appointments. Anyone traveling to or from a designated vaccination site within Linn County is eligible for transportation assistance. Rides must be scheduled 24 hours in advance, and are available Monday through Saturday.
If your agency or transportation program is assisting older adults, people with disabilities and community members to vaccination sites, please let us know by sending an email to [email protected].
Photo Credit: Community Volunteer Transportation Company (NH)
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National Advisory Committee on Transportation Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
NADTC has partnered with organizations that represent racially, ethnically and culturally diverse groups with expertise in accessible transportation, aging and disability, to serve on our National Advisory Committee on Transportation Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. The committee is playing a pivotal role in helping NADTC support and work with communities to ensure that transportation services are both equitable and accessible. Each month, we will feature a committee member and highlight their organization in our eNews.
Member Spotlight: Billy Altom, APRIL
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Billy Altom is the Executive Director of the Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living (APRIL), a national membership organization dedicated to advancing the rights and responsibilities of people with disabilities living in rural America. APRIL provides leadership and resources on rural independent living through a national network of rural centers for independent living, statewide independent living councils, programs and individuals concerned with the unique aspect of rural independent living. The goal of APRIL is to work together to find solutions to common problems and to bring rural issues in independent living into focus on the national level.
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Technical Assistance Coordination Library |
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National Aging and Disability Transportation Center (NADTC)
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National Center for Applied Transit Technology (N-CATT)
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National Center for Mobility Management (NCMM)
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National Rural Transit Assistance Program (National RTAP)
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Shared Use Mobility Center (SUMC)
TACL resources can be used to identify high quality technical assistance, and can assist in research, general operations, planning and every day practice. If you would like to learn more or start searching, visit the TACL website.
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Webinar: Ready Seniors Virtual Workshop
March 23-24 at 12:30 PM ET
Older adults may depend upon community service providers for basic necessities and psychosocial support prior to a disastrous event. However,
the need for these critical services increases when services are disrupted, or
the senior is impacted during a major disaster. FEMA Region II and the Administration for Community Living (ACL) have partnered to address this disparity through a Ready Seniors Workshop aimed at preparing AAAs and other organizations that provide critical support services to senior citizens in their communities.
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Webinar: Data Collecting, Managing and Decision Making | March 9 at 2:00 PM ET
Data is a vital ingredient to well-informed decisions, particularly in the transit industry. But collecting and managing it, and then making decisions from a firehose of information, can be tough. The National Center for Applied Transit Technology and Foursquare ITP will discuss the promises and challenges of data collection, and how transit agencies can harness it to serve their communities.
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U.S. Access Board to Host Public Forums on Autonomous Vehicle Accessibility
The U.S. Access Board will host a series of virtual meetings on making autonomous vehicles (AVs) accessible to passengers with disabilities. This four-part series will provide an open forum where members of the public and stakeholders can discuss considerations, challenges, and solutions in designing accessible AVs.
The series will cover accessibility for passengers with mobility disabilities (sessions 1 and 2) and accessibility for passengers with sensory or cognitive disabilities (sessions 3 and 4). Each 90-minute session will feature presentations reviewing relevant sources and research. These presentations will be followed by an open dialogue where attendees can pose questions or share comments or information.
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Quality of Life Grant Program |
The Administration for Community Living’s National Paralysis Resource Center, managed by the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, announced a new funding opportunity focused on social isolation for organizations and agencies that serve people living with any type of paralysis. This funding opportunity will award projects that address social isolation during COVID-19, including transportation, with the goal of enhancing connectedness of people living with paralysis and their caregivers to their communities while preventing adverse health outcomes.
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2021 AARP Community Challenge Grants |
The AARP Community Challenge provides small grants to fund quick-action projects that can help communities become more livable for people of all ages. Applications are accepted for projects to improve public spaces, housing, transportation, civic engagement, coronavirus recovery, diversity, and inclusion, and more. Local match is not required. The program is open to 501(C)(3),
501(C)(4) and 501(C)(6) nonprofits, government entities and other types of organizations will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
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Clearinghouse for Older Road User Safety (ChORUS) |
ChORUS is a project of the Roadway Safety Foundation, supported by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). This resource serves as a centralized, user-friendly, and dynamic source of information pertaining to highway safety for aging drivers, passengers, pedestrians and cyclists. Built as a comprehensive resource, it covers all three major components of highway safety: safe roadways, safe road users and safe vehicles.
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National Aging and Disability Transportation Center
Washington, DC
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The National Aging and Disability Transportation Center is a program funded by the Federal Transit Administration and administered by Easterseals and the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) with guidance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living. |
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