The National Paralysis Resource Center (managed by the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation) has awarded $580,934 in a special award cycle - COVID-19: Addressing Social Isolation Quality of Life grants this year. Funding for the grants is made available through a cooperative agreement with the Administration for Community Living in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Ongoing research on COVID-19 shows that social isolation and loneliness due to the coronavirus pandemic have been linked to many physical and mental health problems including heart disease, diabetes, heart failure, stroke, dementia, anxiety, depression and suicide.
In response, and in collaboration with the Administration for Community Living (ACL), a these grants were developed and implemented to address social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic with the goal of mitigating the physical, mental, and behavioral impacts and enhancing connectedness of people living with paralysis and their caregivers to their communities to prevent adverse health outcomes.
The COVID-19: Addressing Social Isolation Quality of Life grants funds one-year grants of up to $50,000 to nonprofit programs that address social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic to enhance the connectedness of people living with paralysis and their caregivers within their communities and preventing adverse health outcomes.
The grants given out for this specific cycle covered a variety of projects, including:
Connections for Independent Living (CIL), Greeley, CO – This grant supports the creation of a new technology program for people living with paralysis in the rural area of High Plains of northeastern Colorado. Six nine-week sessions include still photography and photovoice connectivity to facilitate discussion, video photography, and artistic pursuits ranging from painting to sculpture to poetry, online and home platform gaming, genealogy, and armchair travel planning. In addition, 10 Android tablet computers with cellular hotspot units will be purchased and available on loan to registered consumers.
Empower Spinal Cord Injury, Boston, MA – A virtual program where participants will receive one-on-one, group counseling and peer mentoring and engage in education on mobility, daily living tasks, recreational activities, and a myriad of topics led by experts in spinal cord injury care. Equipment will be loaned to easily and efficiently improve participants’ experience.
TBI Warrior Foundation, Boerne, TX – A health and well-being program that includes respite care for family caregivers consisting of virtual seminars, workshops and virtual coffee/teatime. Seminars and workshops include Filling Up Your Cup: Self-Care for the Caregiver; Caregiving Adaptation/Transition: Navigating healthcare and the caregiving role; Cognitive Skills Seminar: Understanding cognitive impairments and managing disability; and Business Development and Working from Home.
The Michigan State University Community Music School, East Lansing, MI – This grant provides virtual music-making as a group or individual music sessions. Lyric interpretation and songwriting groups will discuss and explore similar themes and feelings shared by members. In addition, recordings of music, dance, and movement sessions will be available for individuals to use as needed for daily exercise regimens.
ACL funds the Paralysis Resource Center to provide comprehensive information for people living with spinal cord injury, paralysis and mobility-related disabilities and their support networks. Resources include information and referral by phone and email in multiple languages including Spanish; a peer and family support mentoring program; a military and veterans program; multicultural outreach services; quality of life grants; and a national website.