During this time, everyone has had to make sacrifices to various degrees in order to keep other people safe. Some people are dealing with these changes in their lives better than others, but no one really wanted to have to socially distance themselves from the people that they care about. The sad truth is that a lot of families have been split apart during this time. For some, the isolation and loneliness that this has caused is catastrophic. Some people are not sure if the relational damage that has been during this time can ever be resolved. The efforts to save lives have had an emotional and psychological toll on people and families. We’ve all been impacted by this in various ways.
The health impact of COVID-19 goes beyond physical health. The social distancing guidelines that have been put in place have helped to reduce the spike in cases that a lot of experts predicted, but they have taken a toll on mental health. Social distancing has done more harm than good for some in this respect. There are a lot of different opinions on this. It’s been different for all of us.
Being apart from loved ones is hard even when times are good. Right now, that’s not the case. Things are hard all around. This goes for those of us that can be with our elderly loved ones, and it goes for our elderly loved ones, too. We are missing the people that we care about–but we need to remember that there are people out there missing us, too. It’s not easy to be socially distant ever, and if you have a loved one in a nursing home, it is a lot harder. Not only are you separated and most likely not able to visit them, but there’s an element of fear. A lot of nursing homes have been hit really hard by COVID-19, and there’s no guarantee that our loved ones are going to be immune to the disease.
This is certainly a trying experience, and that element of uncertainty makes it much more difficult to cope with. Luckily, in a lot of parts of the country, social distancing guidelines are starting to relax. There are great concerns about a second wave of COVID-19, and these continue to be huge concerns, especially in more densely populated parts of the country. Social distancing and limited contact is still important–especially when it comes to senior loved ones.
Be sure to know and stay in compliance for whatever guidelines are in place for your community. Erring on the side of caution is never a bad thing, either. If you’re not comfortable meeting with people yet, there’s no shame in this. When it comes to health, it’s better to stay safe than be sorry.
But don’t forget that we all need human contact. It’s a part of what makes us who we are. Take care of yourself and take care of your health, but remember that social distancing doesn’t need to equal isolation.
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