Continuing Care for Older Adults Through and Beyond a Pandemic

COVID-19 will remain a threat to millions of older adults for the foreseeable future, challenging healthcare providers to find successful ways to address this population's special needs. Thanks to well-defined core values and an experienced and innovative team of colleagues, Trinity Health's Continuing Care division has been able to adroitly support thousands of older adults throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Our response has also included working to maintain the safety and well-being of thousands of staff who serve in this space every day. The pandemic is less than a year old, yet we have learned lessons that an organization typically takes many years to learn, and we are pleased to share them here. One of the greatest lessons is that, to best respond to a pandemic, everyone in an organization should have a clear understanding of purpose and strategy. In other words, know why you exist and what you need to do to weather the unknown until a vaccine or cure is available for all.