#IN RETROSPECT PROFESSIONAL#
#IN RETROSPECT WINDOWS#

The time lost was not benign and it was reflected in the decline many elders suffered both because of the sheer time and because of their lack of connection with those they loved.Įlders live in congregate settings to assist them with medical care, support, nutrition and, above all, socialization.

#IN RETROSPECT WINDOWS#

It diminished quality of life, despite our best efforts, and the time lost in isolation took a toll physically, emotionally and cognitively.įamilies suffered as well, limited to FaceTime or phone, visits through windows or shouting up to their loved one from the parking lot below. Keeping elders confined was not just a possible “safety” measure, it was also a punishment. It creates the breeding ground for weakness and depression and despair. Loneliness is one of the leading causes of death in elders. While we may have prevented some of the spread of the virus through these measures, we did immeasurable harm as well.

#IN RETROSPECT PROFESSIONAL#

These were decisions based on logic in the heat of difficult circumstances.īut, as we stand here three years later, after those of us who work with elders (and many beyond our field) have lived through the darkest days of our personal and professional careers, one lesson is eminently clear. Protection outweighed choice or freedom and actions were rapid and sweeping. Time was short and information was woefully lacking.

At no point was there consideration as to what loneliness, isolation and lack of socialization could and would do to older adults. At no point did anyone with expertise not just in elder care, but in the care of human beings, question the impact such limitations might have. It was a mandate.Īt no point did an elder ever have input into these restrictions. Banning visitors, confining elders to their rooms and eliminating all communal dining or group activities was not just a recommendation. In March 2020, by government edict, elders who live in residential settings were subject to restrictions that, even in retrospect, seem unimaginable. There were so many lives lost, others who are still fighting the lingering effects and many more whose personal and professional lives were upended.īut my thoughts are specifically around the world of elder care and what this experience has meant. Of course, this global pandemic changed all of our lives.

It is just three years ago, almost to the day, when COVID changed the world of elder care services forever.

In retrospect