Dear Editor COVID-19 has ravaged through the lives of individuals, families, communities, and societies and, in the process, exacerbated existing vulnerabilities, oppression, and poverty among our most at-risk older adults. Social workers, guided by values and ethics, are counteracting these ailments in society, concentrating on protecting the most vulnerable. As described in the guiding Code of Ethics and Values, the primary mission of social work, "is to enhance human well-being and help meet the basic human needs of all people, with particular attention to the needs and empowerment of people who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty" (National Association of Social Workers [NASW], 2017, para. 1). Social workers are demonstrating heroic work on the frontlines. Here we describe the impact of COVID-19 on older adults and highlight the current role of the practicing social worker putting these values in action during COVID-19. Older adults are at a significantly higher risk for COVID-19 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2020a). Eight out of 10 deaths reported have been among adults who are aged 65 years and above (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2020a), with a reported mortality rate of approximately 15% (Wu & McGoogan, 2020). These devastating consequences of COVID-19 are impacting older adults, family, and friends. Older adults living independently relying on various community services may now be faced with an inability to meet their basic needs (e.g., housing and nutrition). Aging adults watching the news are witnessing deaths; family members who have lost a loved one are unable to arrange or attend funeral services, and aging family members displaced are unable to connect with those most important to them, resulting in loss and grief in isolation. Similarly, and perhaps more so, older adults in senior living facilities are aggressively impacted by COVID-19. Nursing facilities are home to the most atrisk seniors, with over 7,000 residents having died as a direct result of this pandemic (Bunis, 2020). Residents who have not contracted COVID-19 may have witnessed a roommate or friend succumb to this virus. Residents with family are now faced with extreme isolation, as restrictions to visitation were implemented. Likewise, family members may be faced with an extreme sense of guilt and loss of placing their loved one in a nursing home (Hagen, 2001). The reduction in staff and key personnel due to the risks associated with COVID-19, while a practical response to the current pandemic, may impact resident wellbeing. These relationships between staff and residents are found to be important
