The work of resident service coordinators has been essential to maintaining the mental and physical health of seniors living in publicly funded housing during the COVID-19 pandemic. A new study from Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies (JCSHS), based on a survey conducted with the American Association of Service Coordinators (AASC), highlights the impact service coordinators have made on the lives of those seniors in communities most at-risk.
Prior to the pandemic, service coordinators acknowledged that almost half of their residents living at senior properties relied on assistance from individuals, families, and friends for food, medication, social connection, and supplies. This reliance was only exacerbated as COVID-19 restrictions prevented on-site access to visitors, resulting in new challenges for service coordinators tasked with assisting populations desperately needing better access to digital technology and crucial support systems.
The survey was conducted between June and July 2020, with 1,175 respondents who worked in multifamily properties across 47 states as well as Washington, DC and Puerto Rico.