A report commissioned by Older Adults Technology Services (OATS) and the Humana Foundation says nearly 22 million older Americans lack wireline broadband access at home, accounting for 42 percent of those older than 65, according to Telecompetitor . Most of what is available is managed by telecom firms and nonprofits, with little or no direct public-sector backing — although public-private alliances have proven effective. OATS and the Humana Foundation have undertaken a joint campaign, "Aging Connected," with four primary goals: to "publicize and clearly articulate the value of broadband to seniors;" prioritize social equity and inclusion; broaden access to low-cost offers, and "develop content, communities, and experience for older adults to increase utilization of broadband services." The report cites "disturbing correlations between digital disengagement and race, disability, health status, educational attainment, immigration, rural residence, and income." The authors further noted that over 80 percent of deaths due to the COVID-19 pandemic are older Americans, and 40 percent of them could not access necessary resources from home. Moreover, digital inclusion efforts are marked by wide inconsistency, and large segments of the country lack low-cost and senior-friendly initiatives.

A review published in Ear and Hearing looked into hearing loss-related fatigue, which is an understudied subject, reports Massive Science . The researchers found overwhelming evidence that hearing loss indeed leads to greater fatigue, and indications that hearing devices like a hearing aid or cochlear implant may relieve some of this fatigue. However, more research is necessary. Current studies are limited in that what scientists know about this topic is based on subjective measures like questionnaires, and that each person might experience or describe fatigue differently. Future investigations could incorporate more objective measures, like behavioral or physiological measures, to yield stronger evidence about the relationship between hearing loss and fatigue. Still, the current review is seen as valuable for addressing the needs of people with hearing loss and for encouraging continued research on this topic.

The role of activities directors or enrichment professionals at nursing and assisted living communities has gained importance during the pandemic, reports the Philadelphia Inquirer . Kirsten Jacobs with senior housing organization LeadingAge said the crisis has given underappreciated workers like Rachel Kaufman opportunities to shine. Kaufman is an "escapades producer" at Brandywine Living at Dresher Estates in Montgomery County, Pa. While Brandywine has been in lockdown off and on, it allows small, socially distanced activities involving a maximum of 10 residents. Family members who test negative for the coronavirus can visit outdoors in a designated area. When the pandemic broke, "we literally reinvented our activity program overnight," Kaufman recalled. Activities Kaufman and others have organized include room-based tea parties and happy hours, delivery of snacks and baseball trivia on the Philadelphia Phillies' opening day, movie screenings, bingo, exercise sessions, and a costumed play. Kaufman and her team also helped residents communicate via Zoom and other platforms. "My hope is that we as a field come out of this with a deep acknowledgement of the contribution that life enrichment professionals make every day," Jacobs said.

White House adviser Anthony Fauci recently told NBC's TODAY program that double masking wearing two face masks at once during the COVID pandemic likely provides an extra layer of protection, reports CNBC News . "If you have a physical covering with one layer, you put another layer on, it just makes common sense that it likely would be more effective," he stated. "That's the reason why you see people either double masking or doing a version of an N95." The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has not yet recommended double masking, but the practice generated interest when people were noted wearing two masks at President Biden's inauguration. Researchers said donning a surgical mask underneath a cloth mask maximizes protection, because the surgical covering is a filter and the cloth adds another layer and helps with fit. In situations where it is problematic to maintain social distance, double masking would increase protection. The next best option would be a three-layer covering with an inner filter. Studies also indicated that multilayer cloth masks can block up to 50 percent to 70 percent of fine droplets and particles and limit the spread of coronavirus, while the CDC recommends that people wear masks with two layers of tightly woven cotton fabric at minimum.

The Patriot Ledger reports that Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker this week announced plans to move residents 65 or older ahead of teachers for COVID-19 vaccinations, as well as add dozens of new vaccine sites by Feb. 15. He said the policy's success hinges on the availability of vaccine from the federal government, adding that supply continues to be one of the biggest obstacles in the state's ability to immunize more people. Baker said by the end of this week there would be 103 public vaccination sites open at pharmacies, retail chains, and other providers, including a new mass vaccination site at the Eastfield Mall in Springfield opening on Friday and capable of administering up to 242,000 shots per week. The number of vaccine clinics should reach 165 by mid-February, with the capacity to administer up to 305,000 doses per week. Baker also said that starting Feb. 1, residents 75 and older will qualify for COVID-19 vaccination as the state opens the second phase of its distribution plan. Residents 65 and older have been prioritized in Phase 2 and will join those with two or more high-risk conditions in the second group to become eligible in the next phase sometime next month.

Wall Street Journal columnist Julie Jargon offers tips to prevent fraudsters from preying on seniors via Internet and phone scams. "In addition to adding a land line or mobile phone number to the National Do Not Call Registry, people also can check with their phone company or mobile provider about call-blocking services," she writes. "AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon all offer features for blocking robocalls. People also can block unwanted calls on the mobile phones themselves: Apple devices running iOS 13 or later can silence unknown callers as can Android devices running Android 6.0 and newer." Another suggestion is to reduce junk mail by unsubscribing from marketing e-mails, and any doubts about e-mail legitimacy can be queried through the Senior Planet tech hotline at 920-666-1959 or the AARP fraud watch helpline at 877-908-3360. Moreover, seniors can protect their money by setting up direct deposits for income from Social Security, pensions, and dividends so physical checks are not sent to their home, where a caregiver or others could acquire them. "People should also keep an eye on spending activity by asking their bank and credit-card companies to send them — or trusted loved ones — alerts of suspicious activity or charges that exceed a certain amount," Jargon advises. For aging parents with cognitive problems and needing in-home care, she recommends hiring a care manager to oversee all aspects of their care.

Local10.com reports that state officials in Florida are complaining about CVS and Walgreens' slow rollout of COVID-19 vaccinations to residents at long-term care communities. All such residents were supposed to have been inoculated by now, and on Monday Gov. Ron DeSantis declared that the state interceded because the pharmacy chains were lagging. "The federal government had an agreement with CVS and Walgreens for them to be able to handle these communities, and we obviously have sourced CVS and Walgreens," he said. "But at the beginning of this, when CVS and Walgreens needed a little more ramp-up time, the state of Florida acted." Florida's Director of Emergency Management Jared Moskowitz described the chains' vaccination efforts as "mediocre." On Sunday, CVS released its Florida long-term care vaccination numbers for the first time, indicating that the date they activated, Jan. 11, was when they were supposed to be finishing up inoculations. Yet only two-thirds of vaccinations have been administered to date. DeSantis said all long-term care residents should be inoculated by the end of January with the additional support the state has activated.

Fox 4 KC reports that Johnson County, Kan., on Wednesday mobilized additional help to keep seniors waiting for COVID-19 immunizations warm. Director of Johnson County Health and Environment Sanmi Areola said the goal was to avoid situations in which seniors must endure snow and freezing weather at vaccination sites when they show up without an appointment, at the wrong time, or on the wrong day. In addition to boosting staff, Johnson County brought in two warming buses for those who had to wait for their turn. Two shuttle buses also patrolled the vaccination site's parking lot, giving older adults a ride to the front door, so they would not fall in the snow. Four hundred people are being vaccinated every hour at the Okun Fieldhouse, while more than 1,600 are getting immunized a day, which the health department claims surpasses its targets for vaccine distribution.

Reuters says AstraZeneca has disputed claims from German media that its COVID-19 vaccine shows little effectiveness in older adults. The drugmaker earlier this week dismissed reports from German daily papers Handelsblatt and Bild as "completely incorrect." The publications alleged separately that the vaccine — which AstraZeneca co-developed with Oxford University — had an efficacy of 8 percent or less than 10 percent, respectively, in people over 65. Moreover, the papers said the German government did not expect the European regulator to clear the vaccine for that age group.

A KFF survey of 1,563 adults found nearly 60 percent of Americans 65 and older have not yet received a COVID vaccine shot, and they lack information about how to get vaccinated, reports Kaiser Health News . Black and Hispanic adults, as well as those in low-income households, are among those having the most difficulty in finding vaccine information. Within each of those groups, at least 66 percent said they do not have enough information about when they can get inoculated. The vaccines, which were first distributed in mid-December to healthcare workers and people living in nursing or assisted living communities, are currently available for other older adults in most states, though age restrictions vary. Limited shots have in many instances left seniors scrambling to get a vaccination appointment. Sixty-five percent of polled adults said they feel the rollout is being done fairly, but half of black adults expressed concern that the efforts are not adequately considering the black community's requirements.