COVID-19: Resources for seniors and their caregivers
While COVID-19 can make anyone sick, older Canadians are at a higher risk of developing serious complications. Use the following resources to learn how you can prevent COVID-19 and find tips on taking care of your physical and mental health.
On this page
- Lower your chance of getting sick
- What to do if you develop symptoms of COVID-19
- Take care of your mental and physical health
- Financial support
- Protect yourself from fraud and elder abuse
- For older Indigenous adults
- For veterans
- For caregivers
Lower your chance of getting sick
If you're at high risk for serious illness from COVID-19, it's important to take actions to lower your chance of getting sick.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after using the washroom and when preparing food.
- Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol if soap and water aren't available.
- Always keep some with you when outside of your home.
- Avoid touching your mouth, nose and eyes.
- Stay home if you are sick.
- Practise physical distancing.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Avoid crowds and large gatherings.
If you can't maintain a distance of at least 2 metres from others, take the following measures:
- keep interactions brief
- wear a non-medical mask or face covering
- give a friendly wave instead of a handshake, kiss or hug
Find COVID-19 information and resources specific to your province or territory.
What to do if you develop symptoms of COVID-19
If you develop symptoms, stay home and reduce your contact with others:
- Isolate yourself at home for 14 days to avoid spreading it to others.
- If you live with others, stay in a separate room or keep a 2-metre distance.
- Wear a medical mask (if not available, wear a non-medical mask or cloth face covering) if you'll be:
- in close contact with others
- going out to access medical care
- Call your health care provider or local public health authority, and tell them about your symptoms, then follow their instructions.
If you develop the symptoms listed below, call 9-1-1 and inform them that you may have COVID-19 and are at high risk for complications. The following symptoms should be considered urgent:
- difficulty breathing, such as not being able to catch your breath
- chest pain or pressure
- confusion or difficulty waking up
Take care of your mental and physical health
This can be a challenging time for many reasons.
It's important to take care of your mental and physical health during the COVID-19 pandemic.
COVID-19 protection measures may increase feelings of social isolation, but you're not alone. Ask for help if you need it. Stay engaged with your community. If you need someone to talk to in confidence, reach out to:
- Wellness Together Canada: Mental health and substance use support
- Crisis Services Canada: Resources and supports
- Canadian Coalition for Seniors' mental health COVID-19 resources
- National Initiative for the Care of the Elderly
- Canadian Mental Health Association
- Fountain of Health for Optimal Aging
- Canadian Frailty Network: Tips to avoid social isolation
Health tips for older adults
- How to lower your fall risk
- Active Aging Canada: At-home exercises (PDF)
- Canadian Centre for Activity and Aging: Active at home videos
- Canada's Food Guide: Healthy eating for seniors
- Oral health for seniors
- Oral health tips for caregivers supporting older adults living with dementia at home
Financial support
We're supporting older Canadians financially by:
- reducing minimum withdrawals for Registered Retirement Income Funds
- supporting community services and supports, such as the delivery of items and personal outreach through United Way Canada and other organizations
- providing a one-time tax-free payment to help seniors cover increased costs caused by COVID-19
- temporarily extending the Guaranteed Income Supplement and allowance payments
If you've stopped working because of COVID-19 and earn more than $5,000 annually, you're eligible for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit. It pays $2,000 each month for up to 4 months. You can earn up to $1,000 each month while collecting the benefit, but this doesn't count payments for:
- Old Age Security (OAS)
- the Canada Pension Plan (CPP)
- the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS)
Your public pensions don't change your eligibility.
If you receive Canada Pension Plan Disability (CPPD), you may be eligible for other provincial or territorial support, including COVID-19 emergency benefits.
Protect yourself from fraud and elder abuse
Events like COVID-19 can increase the risk of fraud and elder abuse.
Learn how to protect yourself from fraud:
- COVID-19: Scams, frauds and misleading claims
- Cyber Security: Cyber hygiene for COVID-19
- Canada Revenue Agency: Know how to recognize a scam
- Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre: Reported scams
If you're experiencing elder abuse or neglect, seek help at a time and place that's safe for you. For more information, including where to find help, visit the Canadian Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse.
For older Indigenous adults
Indigenous elders provide guidance in communities. It's important that elders remain connected to others during this pandemic while being supported and protected from the spread of COVID-19.
The following resources have been created to support your mental and physical needs.
General resources
First Nations resources
- Assembly of First Nations and COVID 19
- includes tips and considerations around mental wellness
- First Peoples Wellness Circle: Printable information sheets for COVID-19
- resources for a variety of audiences that address healing, wellness and other mental health challenges
- Thunderbird Partnership Foundation: COVID-19 resources
- resources include several specific to substance use and have been developed using the Honouring Our Strengths document as a framework
- First Nations Health Managers Association: Online town hall
- weekly town halls to discuss topics like how COVID-19 is affecting health managers, frontline health workers and First Nations communities
- National Association of Friendship Centres: Resource list
- Indigenous resources from trusted sources
- Native Women's Association of Canada and COVID-19
- information to help connect people with their elders
Inuit resources
- Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and COVID-19
- includes a list of supports for urban Inuit
Métis resources
- Métis National Council and COVID-19
- resources and messages covering aspects of being prepared and responding to the pandemic
For veterans
Learn more about COVID-19 information and assistance for veterans.
For caregivers
Providing care to an older adult at home during COVID-19
If you live with an older adult, or provide care in their home:
- wash your hands often
- adhere to respiratory hygiene by covering sneezes and coughs with your sleeve or a clean tissue
Learn more about home caregiving:
- How to care for a person with COVID-19 at home
- Interim guidance for home care settings
- Carers Canada: General caregiver support
- Alzheimer Society Canada: Tips for people with dementia, caregivers and families (PDF)
- Canadian Frailty Network: Help older adults prepare for potential illness or quarantine (PDF)
Providing care to an older adult in a health or community setting during COVID-19
If you work with older adults in a health or community setting:
- wash your hands often
- adhere to respiratory hygiene by covering sneezes and coughs with your sleeve or a clean tissue
You can help prevent the spread of COVID-19 by providing clear instructions about how to wash hands and cover coughs.
Post signs in commonly used areas, such as entrances, intake areas, restrooms, recreation areas and waiting rooms. When providing written instructions, use:
- common language
- short messages
- large font and graphics
- accessible instructions, such as braille or photos
If an older adult is showing symptoms of COVID-19, contact your local public health authority. People showing symptoms of COVID-19 should reduce their contact with others by:
- isolating themselves for 14 days or
- staying in a separate room or keeping a 2-metre distance if they live with others
Learn more about caregiving in long-term care homes:
- What health professionals need to know
- Infection prevention and control for COVID-19: Interim guidance for long-term care homes
- Care of residents in long-term care homes during the COVID-19 pandemic: Interim guidance
- World Health Organization: Older people and COVID-19
- COVID-19 pandemic guidance for the health care sector
Community support
We're working with organizations and partners to provide immediate and essential services to seniors during COVID-19. Learn more about what we're doing through the New Horizons for Seniors Program.
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