Feeling isolated or lonely is something a lot of senior citizens deal with on a regular basis, never more so than now.
As the coronavirus is harder on seniors, more and more are having to stay home and be isolated from everyone, including their loved ones. Those in nursing homes are no longer allowed to have visitors either. Many seniors already battle depression and loneliness AND are now having to deal with even stricter guidelines.
Sandy Hook resident Maude Parish is what her daughter, Susan Albritton, calls a “social butterfly”. Parish does not get out much, but when she does she wants to go hug and speak to everyone, something which is a big no-no now.
Parish said the four walls are driving her crazy. She also said with a laugh that her daughter won’t let her go anywhere. Parish knows it is for the best, but she can’t help but to feel a little stir crazy. She does have some family members who come and check on her and spend time with her so she isn’t completely isolated and she loves to talk on the telephone.
Albritton said she is thinking about getting her mother a smartphone and show her how to FaceTime people so she can “see” people, not just hear them.
Parish said she loves to read so she has been keeping herself busy with reading. She said she can always find something to do.
For Lucretia Bowman it is not as easy. Her mother, Vonis Broome, is a resident at Brookdale Assisted Living Facility in Hattiesburg. The executive order was issued to no longer allow residents to receive visitors.
Bowman said her mother has been a “real trooper.” In fact, Bowman said she is the one having a hard time dealing with it.
“I miss her. I miss touching her and giving her hugs,” she said.
This is something Bowman said that has made her realize just how important her mother is to her.
Bowman said for the first three weeks at the facility, all of the patients were confined to their rooms including at meal time. Now the courtyard is opened up to allow no more than three residents at a time to be able to get some fresh air. Residents can now dine in the dining room; however, the room is set up differently to allow social distancing.
Thankfully, Broome was moved to a larger room the weekend before the shutdown happened, Bowman said. It allows her mother to have more room.
Bowman also said during this time her mother has been fasting and praying. They talk to each other regularly on the phone and Bowman has even gone to the facility and stood outside her mother’s window to see her.
Broome’s great-grandson drew a picture for her and wanted Bowman to take it to her. Bowman said people don’t understand something like this affects the entire family.
“We had to explain to him why we can’t give her the picture right now,”” she said.
To take a care package, Bowman said there are certain steps that need to be done. She has to wipe down everything in front of the workers at the facility and place the package in a particular area and then someone will come out and get it.
Bowman said when this is over she was going to hug her mother for a long time before letting go.
“It’s sad, a whole new perspective,” she said.
