While the coronavirus affects all people regardless of gender, race or class, the elderly have seen an outsized impact in their lives. In this tense time, many are relying on the services of Senior Connections, the Capital Area Agency on Aging,

“Too often, we hear that families do not know where to turn for help and resources during times of illness, disability and transition,” says Michelle Johnson, chair of Senior Connections’ board of directors. “I want families to know about available resources before they need them and to be able to find and use resources easily.”

Ms. Johnson is the county administrator of Charles City County, one of eight localities in the regional planning district that started Senior Connections in 1973 in the wake of the growing numbers of aging adults and their caregivers who needed assistance. It is part of a network of 25 area agencies on aging around the state and more than 700 such agencies across the country providing a range of services, resources and information to older and disabled adults.

Ms. Johnson was elected chair of Senior Connections’ board in July 2017 and was re-elected to a two-year term in July 2019.

The services Senior Connections performs run the gamut, from meals and transportation, to legal consultation, care coordination and disability support socialization, to volunteer and employment opportunities. The agency helps more than 24,000 older adults and caregivers yearly, with more than 3,600 receiving direct services.

As both a county administrator and caregiver for her father, Ms. Johnson is well aware of the need for support when it comes to seniors.

“I want to help Senior Connections reach older adults in need of services and contribute to policies that make it easier for families to care for older relatives and friends based on their individual needs and desires,” Ms. Johnson says.

With the outbreak of the coronavirus, Senior Connections has been busy fielding new requests for help from seniors for emergency food, in-home care, housing assistance and personal supplies.

The agency’s staff and volunteers have been busy providing information about COVID-19 to area residents, along with information about food and health care programs.

So far, in collaboration with Feed More, the area’s food bank, Meals on Wheels is delivering weekly to nearly 800 older adults and more than 700 members of Senior Connections’ Friendship Cafes are receiving meals once a week.

The agency’s annual Empty Plate fundraising campaign currently is underway to help with the need for food for seniors. The agency also is considering undertaking a housing stability project looking at the needs of older women to help them stay in their homes and to ensure stable communities.

For Ms. Johnson and Senior Connections, this time of high need also is an opportunity to engage with people and encourage a community attitude in alignment with Senior Connections’ mission: “To empower older adults to live with dignity and choice.”

Meet an advocate for seniors and the disabled and this week’s Personality, Michelle Johnson:

Occupation: County administrator for Charles City County since June 2017.

Date and place of birth: Oct. 3 at Richmond Memorial Hospital.

Current residence: Charles City County.

Education: Virginia State University, business and accounting; Leadership Metro Richmond and the Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute. Currently participating with Virginia Commonwealth University Minority Leadership Institute.

Family: Son, Victor.

No. 1 volunteer position: Chair of the board of directors, Senior Connections, The Capital Area Agency on Aging.

When and why Senior Connections was founded: It was started in December 1973 following the enactment of the federal Older Americans Act in 1965. Senior Connections, the Capital Area Agency on Aging, was founded by the Richmond Regional Planning District Commission, now Plan RVA, on behalf of the localities that make up Virginia Planning District 15 — the counties of Charles City, Chesterfield, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, New Kent, Powhatan and the City of Richmond. It was founded to promote programs, services, support, information, advocacy and volunteer opportunities for the growing population of older adults and caregivers. Information about resources is available for individuals of all ages.

My role with Senior Connections: I serve as chair of the 21-member Board of Directors, a policy group responsible for the budget and program oversight. Members represent the localities in which they live and/ or work. Along with me, seven other members are appointees of local governments and the rest are at-large members with many areas of expertise. Members represent public, private and nonprofit groups from business, education, health care and government. The agency also has an advisory board that assists the board of directors with planning and advocacy.

Why I became involved with Senior Connections: As a caregiver for my father and administrator for Charles City, I had personal and professional knowledge of the challenges that older adults and caregivers face in providing and receiving support. I want to help Senior Connections reach older adults in need of services and contribute to policies that make it easier for families to care for older relatives and friends based on their individual needs and desires. Too often, we hear that families do not know where to turn for help and resources during times of illness, disability and transition. I want families to know about available resources before they need them and to be able to find and use resources easily.

What Senior Connections means to me: Senior Connections affords the opportunity to support the region’s more than 170,000 older adults — individuals age 60 and older — with the knowledge that this population will more than double by 2030. Senior Connections means the opportunity to support and engage with older adults and individuals of any age, including recognizing intergenerational efforts.

What Senior Connections does for older adults: Senior Connections provides older adults with a diversity of home and community services. These services, such as meals, transportation, personal care, respite support, help with legal documents, care coordination, information/assistance and emergency supports, help older adults and individuals with disabilities maintain their health and prevent or delay the need for more costly services. These services also help enhance the quality of life for older adults and their ability to remain in their homes and communities for as long as possible.

Senior Connections also provides health, wellness, socialization, volunteer and employment opportunities for older adults. There are 24 other area agencies on aging in the Commonwealth and 700 throughout the United States.

The focus is to support individuals based on individual needs and to prevent isolation while promoting connections. Information about issues and resources is provided to thousands of individuals each year at forums, health fairs and educational events, as well as through distribution of brochures and the newsletter “Engage at Any Age” that is distributed with Fifty Plus.

Senior Connections works closely with the local groups and government agencies, including senior advocates, departments of social services, parks and recreation and other groups.

Additionally, numerous older adults are assisted by the Virginia Insurance Counseling and Assistance Program (VICAP) and the Benefits Enrollment Center (BEC) with prescription drug plan enrollment and help with Medicare, Medicaid and other benefits. Senior Connections also promotes health and wellness through programs such as the chronic disease self-management program called Live Well Virginia and Matter of Balance for fall risk prevention.

Number of older adults in Senior Connections’ programs: Senior Connections touches the lives of more than 24,000 older adults and caregivers each year. More than 3,600 people receive direct services such as information and assistance, meals, transportation through Ride Connection, in-home care, care coordination and other services and supports.

We could do more if: More people joined with us in recognizing the positive aspects of aging, the transformative perspectives of aging and adopting the philosophy that we are all aging all the time. We should embrace and enjoy our age and our aging. We need to plan ahead and learn about resources available through Senior Connections and other resources. The agency is expanding outreach to help more people learn about available resources.

How Senior Connections is financed: Federal and state funds are used for home and community services through the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services. Senior Connections also receives matching funds from the counties of Charles City, Chesterfield, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, New Kent, Powhatan and the City of Richmond. Additionally, funding is provided by local foundations and corporations as well as individual contributors.

Senior Connections also has conducted the Empty Plate fundraising campaign for the past 17 years. This year’s campaign is underway and contributions are welcome and will be used for unmet needs to fill empty plates to address COVID-19 concerns.

What it takes to become a Senior Connections volunteer: A desire to serve others, honor older adults and generously share expertise, experiences and interests.

Senior Connections’ COVID- 19 response: For those receiving services from Senior Connections prior to the pandemic, we are helping them stay as safe and secure as possible by providing information and assistance. We are receiving new requests from older adults who have not received services from Senior Connections in the past. Most of these requests are for Meals on Wheels, emergency food, in- home care, housing assistance and personal supplies.

With generous support from the Virginia Department for the Aging, local funders and individuals, we are addressing these needs. With the help of staff and volunteers, we are staying in touch with information about COVID-19 and benefits such as the Supplemental Food Assistance Program, or SNAP, Medicare and Medicaid. Meals on Wheels are being delivered once a week to almost 800 older adults in collaboration with Feed More. Additionally, more than 700 older adults who are members of the Friendships Cafés are receiving meals once a week. Assistance also is available for essential trips, in-home care, personal supplies, emergency food and help finding resources.

Upcoming projects: Senior Connections wishes to conduct a housing stability project with a focus on older women. This project will help older women who are experiencing transitions that put them at risk of losing their homes. This is a prevention project with opportunities for older women who need resources, benefits, financial counseling and other assistance to remain in their homes and communities with long-term stability.

How I start the day: With a guided meditation and prayer giving thanks and wishing the best for Charles City County and our residents, including older adults and caregivers. I am deeply passionate about serving Charles City County, a community that helped to shape my life.

If I had more time, I would: Visit friends more.

A quote that I am inspired by: “Success isn’t about how much money you make; it’s about the difference you make in people’s lives.”

Kindergarten taught me: How to not follow the rest of the group, but create my own path to the sandbox.

Best late-night snack: Hot tea with two peppermints, honey and cinnamon.

Something I love to do that most people would never imagine: Grow vegetable and flower gardens.

Persons who influenced me the most: My parents. They taught me to be an individual, to be strong and to always take care of others with no expectations.

Book that influenced me the most: “Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead” by Nell Scovell and Sheryl Sandberg.

What I am reading now: “The Little Black Book of Success: Laws of Leadership for Black Women” by Elaine Meryl Brown, Marsha Haygood and Rhonda McLean.

Next goal: To create a food pantry for the underserved population in Charles City County, a need that has been highlighted by COVID-19 and my service with Senior Connections.