Responding to Social Isolation in Michigan

Initiative Description

Michigan Assistive Technology Program collaborated with Michigan Aging and Adult Services Administration to provide support to Centers for Independent Living and Area Agencies on Aging who received No Wrong Door funds to decrease social isolation for older adults and people with disabilities around the State of Michigan in response to the COVID-19 Pandemic. AT program staff provided on-going technical assistance, an email listserv and platform for sharing ideas, and 5 trainings to participating organizations in the No Wrong Door funds in Michigan. 

Lessons Learned/Replication

Many local sites chose to use the funds to purchase AT devices to decrease social isolation and loneliness and used information from the trainings to choose the devices and to receive support for implementation. In addition, MATP offered demonstrations of the devices to individual recipients of AT devices and support for individuals to request devices specific to their needs. Support to sites continues and it is expected that additional and deepening partnership opportunities will be available as more funds are released from the federal government that target the needs of older adults and people with disabilities as the pandemic and social isolation continue.

Year of Implementation

2021

State

Michigan

Initiative contact information

Aimee Sterk
aimee@mymdrc.org