The coronavirus has had a profound impact on our society. Even going to the grocery store has become a huge deal lately. In California, we have had a “shelter in place” rule go into effect, essentially limiting us to what we can leave our homes for. Things like going to work at an essential service or going to the grocery store are fine, but going out to the movie theater or just hanging out with friends at a restaurant are now prohibited. This change has had a big impact on the mental health of everyone–even if there were no struggles with anxiety and depression beforehand. It’s a big change, and that is not easy for anyone to deal with.
It makes sense then that seniors are also impacted by these changes. A lot of individuals don’t necessarily have the mental capacity to fully realize what is going on or why these changes have occurred, but that doesn’t mean that the changes do not have a negative impact on the people that we love. Older seniors, young children, and people struggling with dementia have been particularly hit by the new reality that we are all coping with, and not everyone has the same resilience when it comes to handling these changes.
There have been articles posted in major news outlets about people slipping through the cracks. People that already had difficult home lives are seeing these issues exacerbated. Kids who struggled with just getting to school every day are now unaccounted for. Seniors that were homebound are struggling in isolation. Some people are starting to adapt to the new normal, but others are not. For some, it is going to keep getting worse.
Parents who have never taught before have been called upon by their school districts to be teachers. If you’re like the vast majority of the world, this is not an easy task. Although some of the things on social media about homeschooling can be quite funny, they all point toward a truth: this is really hard.
And these battles are being fought on all sorts of fronts. We see them at home with school, we see them with the new workplace requirements, and we see them within senior care centers and nursing homes. It’s difficult all around.
That’s why we want you to know that we’re here for you. We don’t know what your new normal looks like, but we want you to know that you’re not alone in this fight. Please feel free to reach out to us or another community resource that you trust if there is anything that we can do to help. If we’re not the right resource for you and your family, we will do our best to make sure that you are pointed in the right direction.
This is a scary time for everyone. When our families stick together, we are more likely to get through this and be stronger as a community as a result. Don’t be afraid to reach out if you or someone you know needs help. We are here.
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