COVID-19 Communication Resources
The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged the Coalition and all our members in a way no one could have imagined was possible. We are grateful to you all for the tireless work you are all doing, some at great personal risk, to see us through this crisis.
COVID-19 is changing the way we do every aspect of our work including how we communicate. Having a clear and consistent message to share with the people you serve is crucial.
Working in collaboration with local partners and again in partnership with the Cambria Health Foundation, the Coalition has created a set of messaging resources for you to use right away. They are based on the extensive advance care planning communications research we have done over the past two years, which has led to language and concepts that resonate with a variety of audiences.
Please download our document Communicating with the Public about COVID-19 and Advance Care Planning (ACP) from our toolkit web page. It includes language about simple, yet crucial ideas about advance care planning, while also recognizing that the primary messages we need to reinforce are about taking care of ourselves and communities by staying home – and connected. The toolkit also includes social media posts you can adapt and share with your network and Facebook and Twitter social media graphics. Other resources to take note of include:
- Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC) has created a COVID-19 resource page that includes crisis communication and symptom management protocols for clinicians protocols for all clinicians, guidance on using Medicare COVID-19 emergency waivers, and tools to help palliative care teams address high levels of volume and stress during a crisis. Here you can also find all the Respecting Choices® material recently made free and public to support clinicians in doing telephonic advance care planning is for those at the highest risk for severe complications related to COVID-19.
- The Honoring Choices Massachusetts “Plan in Place” resource page can help you stay healthy and be prepared. It includes a link to their “Getting Started” toolkit.
- Cake has created a page on their website with resources for people to plan and ways to find support for those feeling anxious or worried about either themselves or their loved ones.
Members of the Coalition’s public engagement and provider education working groups are developing more COVID-19 related resources we hope to share with you soon. For example, The Conversation Project and Ariadne Labs are working on guides for COVID-specific conversations for clinicians and the public; Ellen DiPaola from Honoring Choices Massachusetts is working on emergency MOLST measures. Details are coming soon.
We want to hear from you. Send us your feedback and stories about the COVID-19 heroes who are making a difference for your organization. Contact Anna Gosline at [email protected].
