Michigan caregivers got a $2 hourly boost in COVID. Should it be permanent?

Japan's model of prioritizing societal care for their elderly has helped the country achieve the highest life expectancy and be named the healthiest population in the world. Now amid the coronavirus pandemic, the country's senior citizen-focused policies and health care system are showing success in keeping the number of cases and deaths low in aging populations.

Over decades, domestic care workers in Spain garnered political power by building community and solidarity between different activist groups and using music, theater, and self-expression to help strengthen connection and trust within the movement. Their efforts and protests led to the passage of laws granting these workers social security coverage and protecting them from unfair dismissal and unsafe working conditions, though many with irregular residency are still not able to benefit from these provisions.

The Age Nigeria Foundation helps end the loneliness, abuse, and hunger of the elderly in Lagos State. The organization runs socialization centers, takes up legal cases to defend members, and provides them with food.

Washington and California are improving access to overtime pay. Washington is using phased increases to the income threshold requirement over several years. And California mandates extra pay for over eight hours of daily work.

After taking care of her own parents, Paula Duren started “boot camp” sessions for caregivers to share available resources, tips for self-care, and support. Drawing on her experience as a psychologist, Duren started the nonprofit Universal Dementia Caregivers to build and run the workshops, which have moved to zoom sessions because of the COVID-19. The all-day sessions provide information ranging from financial advice to how to access state and local services to stress-reduction tips. The overarching message throughout is that caregivers must take care of themselves to take care of their loved ones.

Intergenerational home sharing is a mutually beneficial option for seniors and young people. There are about 60 programs, run by cities, nonprofits, and platforms in the style of Airbnb, that connect seniors and young people for cohabitation. Seniors benefit by being able to stay in their homes, collect income, and have someone to help with social isolation and household chores. Young people benefit from access to affordable housing options in high-cost areas and engaging in rich relationship building. Home sharing services are facing legal challenges and the Covid-19 pandemic made cohabiting more risky.

European countries like France and Germany have been able to keep their unemployment rates low because of pre-existing programs that have been called to action during COVID-19. In France, the government subsidizes up to 84% of wages to incentive companies not to lay their employees off. In Germany, their short-time work program pays up to two-thirds of employee pay. While not an inexpensive method, some say it could help their economies replenish quicker after the pandemic.

In an effort to pay employees as COVID19 containment efforts take a toll on businesses, CEOs and corporate management are taking pay cuts, or giving up their pay altogether. Companies like Delta, United, Marriott, Hyatt, Lyft, and Life Time health clubs are all seeing their leadership elect for salary cuts or decreases in order to continue to pay their employees.

Since 1892, Berea College in Kentucky has not charged students for tuition. The school avoids adding the "shiny amenities" that other schools may use as selling points and requires that students work a job on campus at least ten hours per week.

As part of a larger effort to make the city of West Sacramento more friendly to their aging population, an on-demand ride-sharing app was developed to make transportation more accessible for seniors who cannot easily use public transportation. The response has been overwhelming, and the project will soon be able to support itself financially. The city is also using another app to help connect seniors with volunteer opportunities that make use of their skills, which was something else they learned was desired by doing focus groups.