What a year!
If you had told a bunch of seniors that next year they would be sitting in their cars, in the cold, listening to holiday music on a loudspeaker, receive a boxed lunch to go, and that they would be happy about it, they would have laughed and booed you out the door.
But, here we are, seeing this scenario replayed in senior service center parking lots across America, as seniors continue to endure the hardest nine months of their lives! It seems there is no end in sight! Health care professionals, politicians and pundits, continue to say that 70% of the population will need to roll up their sleeves for a vaccination if we ever want to go out without a mask, enjoy congregating with others, or to see our businesses reopen uninhibited.
Is it likely though, that 70% of us Americans will agree to a vaccine? What about the increasing numbers of those who have been exposed and survived the virus? What about those who are contraindicated to receiving the vaccine, those with allergies that produce anaphylaxis or those with other health conditions? Considering the obstacles, it seems there is barely a glimmer of hope for change in 2021.
Meanwhile, seniors are languishing in their homes. Many are truly dying for lack of human contact. Is this right, or ethical, and can there be a better way?
Of course, individuals of all ages are suffering COVID fatigue, not just seniors, and loneliness is taking its toll. We have endured anxiety at the grocery store, anxiety at family gatherings, anxiety at the loss of family gatherings, anxiety at the loss of friends who have passed away without family members nearby, and the loss of the ability to gather to mourn. 2020 has taken so much from us, and 2020 continues to take. We are just a few weeks from the end of the year, so many of us have even more anxiety over what 2021 will bring.
Statistics on depression, substance use and abuse and suicide rates have skyrocketed. Friendships have gone by the wayside due to fear, politics, anger, or judgment. Our seniors have endured isolation for nine months, many of them dying for lack of physical attention and human interaction. It is real. The costs of living this year have far exceeded anything we have seen in our lifetimes, and regardless of your date of birth, none of us has experienced anything like it.
However, without choosing to continue a doom and gloom scenario, it is important to take stock of this year, take a long look at our personal behavior and make thoughtful choices for our future.
There are seniors who are getting out and about and interacting with other individuals. They are by and large volunteers who see a need and have a calling beyond their own day to day lives. These seniors have found a way to interrupt the loneliness, and to continue with purpose.
Marilyn decorates meal containers for seniors receiving home delivered meals. Arlene checks routes and recruits volunteer drivers. Colleen continues to make Plarn (Plastic yarn) for crocheting into mats, and to crochet wigs for cancer survivors. Jim volunteers his time to be an honor guard member at funerals of veterans. Carolyn drives and accompanies seniors to medical appointments. She is one of many Americorps Seniors volunteering through Senior Services Associates. Mike assists at his church with a safety committee while finding time to mentor youth and adults through virtual and socially-distant scouting projects. Linda donates her home baked goods. Sheila just enjoys life, and brings laughter, music, and dance wherever she goes.
These seniors, all of which I have had the pleasure to interact with on a day to day basis, have found a way. They and others like them crochet winter hats for children, organize and pack groceries at food pantries, help seniors gain access to transportation to the doctor, and write greeting cards to shut-ins. They have not allowed themselves to be forgotten. They reach out to help others.
They are tired. We all are tired. But we continue on. As survivors, that is what we choose to do.
Barb Nadeau is the community relations manager for the Voluntary Action Center of DeKalb County. Barb has worked in television, radio, and print media, as well as in volunteer coordination and networking amongst non-profit social service agencies. She is a freelance writer and television host. Contact Barb at bvnadeau@gmail.com.