💔💔💔
Alone - has no discrimination.
Recently appearing in the "news", various articles about how the pandemic quarantines are affecting many older people, as to be safe, they must keep a distance from their families, especially young children. Then there are the issues of keeping children out of school, often delaying school or offering only a virtual school.
Do not need here to provide any links or repeat here the negative reviews, only wish to share several recent conversations that I found most interesting.
First, a new retired colleague from the medical industry here in Charleston shared that at a recent casual dinner, his doctor friend who mainly focused on geriatric care that the majority of his 400 patients were terrified of COVID19, however, those that had contracted it, had recovered, only a few with medical conditions not under control, had passed away. However, what all did have a loneliness from the quarantine from their families and friends that were most concerning.
While viewing social media the next morning I came across a former young student of mine reminiscing that he since - no one checked on him, he was alone as a human. Age 14. Alone in life.
I know his family. He has a Mom and Dad, and lives with each from time to time. Further looking, it appeared that he had been in quarantine by his Mom and his sadness was coming from his friends not staying in touch. So his description of being alone reflected his friends not communicating with him. Social media what it is to youth, I was surprised to his description, as he was often all over his Instagram.
So now close to my home is the personal evidence of the effect of social isolation. The cure? Is there one? Here are only two stories of people closeby.
Leaving downtown today, picked up several bags of cookies, and added them to my list to deliver of nearby quarantined older friends. Not just a phone call will do next. From my years of experience serving military families, I learned the importance of a simple phone call to the deployed service members spouse and family members. The phone call was always made on Sunday night, and filled with the "how are you's" . Just letting each family be aware that someone out there was asking and expressing concern for them helped fill the void of "aloneness" when a family went through deployment.
So surely a simple phone call will help assure the person receiving it that they are NOT alone in this world, and provide a link to the outside world - and another human extending their support.
Reflecting over both of these most recent discoveries, I was thankful for the simple phone calls and the handing of small bags of cookies from time to time on several doorknobs of closely elderly shut-ins, and the wonderful text images I received from my grandson via his Mom's phone when she was not looking! Often there were graphics of squirrels holding onto the side of a car with always "hey Nana!" It's me...Hank.
Comments
Post a Comment