Conquering the paradoxical facet of pandemic 2020; geriatric social isolation
Let me start with a mention of Yoko Ono, a Japanese multimedia artist and married to Beatles frontman John Lennon. Ono made music history in 2011, becoming the oldest artist to have a number-one hit on the dance charts. She was 78 years old then. She wrote the following words on ageing:
“Spring passes and one remembers one’s innocence.
Summer passes and one remembers one’s exuberance.
Autumn passes and one remembers one’s reverence.
Winter passes and one remembers one’s perseverance”.
This year sure is the year of perseverance for the aged. Their stealth will take them through this pandemic with the support of their near ones.
Just when social workers around the world were considering social isolation amongst the aged, a ‘global epidemic’. Bang! comes the pandemic. Followed by WHO and CDC guidelines for the vulnerable age group, those above 60 years of age, to stay home and socially distance themselves stringently. Of course, this is well meaning and medically sound advice. Yes, it will serve to keep the exposure to the virus at bay. Sadly, being cocooned in their homes with minimal social interaction plays havoc with their mental health. Available data suggest that social disconnectedness puts the older people at a greater risk of depression and anxiety. They are social beings, just like their younger counterparts and in need of optimal social experiences. Quoting Debanjan Banerji , geriatric psychiatrist working at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurological Sciences, Bengaluru, when he talks about his elderly patients,
“Ironically, they are as vulnerable to the virus as to the isolation needed to contain it.”
Its a tight rope walk to manage a fine balance of safeguarding their health from ‘demonic C-19’ and yet not isolate them with imperative confinement. We are all frightened of this contagion, for the geriatric populace, fear has been literally thrust upon them. They are fearful of not just their own lives but also of infecting their families as the rampant opinion is that they have low immunity and therefore picked on easily by Big Scary C-19. Biting reminders about their susceptibility to the virus is veiled ostracisation that they can clearly see through.
Citing some statistics from an article written by U. Rana. An elderly couple from Punjab state have ended their life by consuming a poisonous substance under the scare of the COVID-19 outbreak (Hindustan Times, 2020). A suicide note was recovered in which they mentioned,
“We are finishing our lives. No one is responsible for this. There has been a tension due to coronavirus. We both were also ill”.
Another suicide case of the elderly was reported from Maharashtra state, where a 75-year-old adult hanged himself from a ceiling fan in his residence (The Times of India, 2020). The police officers found a suicide note which solely mentioned only two words, “corona fear”. Due to fear of corona, another suicide case was reported from Punjab state, where a 65-year-old woman committed suicide, citing concern that she would infect her daughters (The Tribune, 2020).
The vulnerable fraternity was the one thronging the community parks, sticks in hand, bunch of 3 or more, catching up on everyday stuff, reminiscing about by gone times, giving one another health tips, maybe even sharing a grim thought. Those priceless moments have been taken away from them and we don’t know for how long. They had all retired after tireless years of work and struggle. The high point of their life was now playing with their grandchildren, running errands for their adult children and bonding with their peers . That’s not even supposed to be on their agenda now. Whatever happens to their cognitive stimulation (the one that keeps dementia away), hugs from grandkids (physical connectedness), fresh outdoor air ( respiratory functioning), giving a helping hand (feeling valued), is anybody’s guess.
Can’t really appeal to the scourge ( C-19) here, to vanish into thin air and not mar the golden years of our precious elders. But as someone working in the mental health field can help sensitise the more fortunate adults who have not been forced into complete social disconnectedness only because they came a few moons later that let’s reach out to the elderly in ways we didn’t need to previously. Here I specifically talk of the older folks living amongst families.
- Start with not compounding their fears by constantly mentioning their infirmity. They know it, rather heard too much of it in the past months.
- Disconnectedness should not be given as a verdict to them. It must be feeling like time- out is to little kids, which they are not. Let’s give some credit to their own wisdom and maturity.
- Please refrain from making them feel guilty about abandoning your social life because you have older people at home.
- With everyone getting digitally transformed, doing stuff virtually. Encourage them to use tech to connect, read, play games, watch webinar’s, shop, consult a doc etc. I’m sure they dreaded it earlier, but now it’s a skill they value.
- Being cooped up together in the home, is giving you that chance to bond and converse more. Let them repeat tales for you, they are just reliving good times.
- Have them step outdoors within the house, maybe a balcony, terrace or the garden. C-19 is not landing on them that way.
- Use the knowledge and experience from their past. There’s lots they must be having to share.
- Plan out their day for them, including some physical and mental exercise, get them to video chat with their friends, do some gardening, house party with relatives, help grandkid’s with online assignments .
- Celebrate occasions and festivals at home in traditional ways, it makes them nostalgic.
- Last of all, the pandemic with all its uncertainty, dread and foreboding, cannot and shall not dampen our resolve, to not let the elderly feel disparaged, segregated or desolate. If we consider their bodies frail in the face of the virus, keep the fragility of their heart and spirit in mind .
Remembering the words of Robert Frost,
“The afternoon knows what the morning never suspected”.
On that note I salute our patriarchs for holding up and swimming against the tide. I pledge to draw strength from you and not siphon yours.
