According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the risk for severe illness with COVID-19 increases with age, putting older adults at the most risk. The severe illness includes a person with COVID-19 that may require hospitalization, intensive care units, ventilators to help support breathing, or death. One analysis of more than 114,000 COVID-19 associated deaths during May-August 2020, found that 78% of the people that died, aged 65 or older, and were closely matched with the male and female death ratio. COVID-19 is the reason for the current world pandemic, which could affect anyone symptomatic or asymptomatic. Since the start of the pandemic in early spring 2020, Montgomery, Kentucky has lost 12 individuals within the community. However, isolation can do harm to the elderly, who are already vulnerable to chronic loneliness, which can have an impact on other health issues.

In Montgomery County, Kentucky, the SNAP-Ed Program assistant held programming at the Montgomery County Senior Center, Montgomery Square Apartments, Wood Hill Apartments, and Main Cross Apartments. These programming areas are designed for elderly community members. In March of 2020, in-person SNAP-Ed programming was placed on hold due to COVID-19.  SNAP-Ed programming provided knowledge for better budgeting, meal planning, information on reading nutrition fact labels, the importance of food safety, healthy recipes, increasing physical activity, and many other healthy lifestyle education tips from My Plate to improve the quality of life, and have a healthier and happier mindset and body. Many of the participants in each designed programming area would come regularly to class to engage in learning new recipes, socialize among their peers, and learn new tips and tricks to use in their own kitchen, saving money while preparing their own meals. In April 2020, Montgomery County Nutrition Group was developed for Facebook. This group was developed to help programs continue providing knowledge without putting anyone at risk for COVID-19. This page provides a way for the community to stay connected to others, and to help share food safety information, kitchen tips, healthy recipes, increase behaviors for physical activity, and other information that affects the citizens of Montgomery County. Some elder participants from the in-person programming have joined the Montgomery County Nutrition Group. The SNAP-Ed Program Assistant also makes nutritional information packets for individuals on average biweekly to drop off at each location; Montgomery County Senior Center, Montgomery Square Apartments, Main Cross Apartments, and Wood Hill Apartments that don’t have access to the internet. 

The Montgomery County Nutrition Group now has 60 members, continues to make nutrition post daily, and nutritional packets biweekly for the elderly locations. Since April 1, there have been 793 nutritional posts made, 1480 interactions between the group members, and the posted information. The elderly locations have had 655 nutritional packets dropped off for biweekly distribution among participants. Since the Montgomery County Nutrition Group, many elders are finding new healthy recipes to make snacks and meals. The SNAP-Ed provides information on exercises to help the elderly stay physically active while at home and to engage their minds by providing food safety and nutritional word search puzzles and crossword puzzles. Many elderly live by themselves, this helps the elder have a healthy mindset. The elderly watch for nutritional packets which also include a weekly newsletter. This gives the elderly something to look forward to when it could be a very dark time by having to stay indoors more. The SNAP Program Assistant makes wireless contact with the elderly so they know when to drop off the packets are. The elderly look forward to looking out their windows and seeing someone they know, which goes an extra step to make sure they have their material when times are so unpredictable. 

In an apartment complex, an elderly adult watches and waits to wave from their window.