The question of the day seems to be “How are we all doing?” There are as many responses as there are readers of the question. It is, to be sure, a day-to-day consideration: what will today bring? What is safe and prudent under current conditions?

The Age-Friendly Community Initiative is pondering our current reality, too. We are sure that our community members are looking for support more than ever and that we can play a part.

Recently two AFCI Board members attended a statewide Zoom conference presented by the Maine Council on Aging, entitled “Maine Wisdom Summit – Aging Well Through COVID – Supporting Resiliency & Growth in the Midst of a Pandemic.” Among a variety of inter-related topics, the program addressed the question: What are the lessons we have learned over the last six months?  Attendees from the fields of medicine and services for the elderly offered interesting responses:

Maine has demonstrated ingenuity across all settings and communities. The COVID crisis has demanded a renewed focus on the health and welfare of elderly Mainers. In particular, presenters shared an urgent recommendation for elderly Mainers to get their flu shots. For years of public health focus on changing such behaviors as smoking, seat belts, and diet, progress has been slow. COVID-19 has demanded much faster health changes and implementation. Maine has made tremendous progress in these big challenges in just six months.

Another topic on everyone’s mind: the upcoming election. The issues that voters must consider are enormously important, and it is confusing to understand our options for voting safely. We must all keep well informed. You may have recently received a communication from the US Postal Service about the safety and ease of voting by mail. A good source for detailed, up-to-date information on voting in Maine is https://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/upcoming/index.html.

A press release from AARP cites a recent Maine Poll showing that “65-plus Voters May Tip the Scales in 2020” and concludes that “Candidates who want to win in 2020 must talk about the issues that matter to voters 50 and over – such as voting safely from home or in person, preventing cuts to Social Security and Medicare and lowering prescription drug prices. Most importantly, many Maine voters are casting their ballots earlier by voting absentee, so candidates need to address their concerns now.”

Perhaps you have thoughts on some of these matters. You can always contact us through our website: www.agefriendlybethel.org.

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