Public health officials were so concerned about protecting seniors from COVID-19 that they forgot about their mental well being, says the author of a study on the long-term effects of the pandemic.
“We did it for so long that it actually had a negative effect — not only on residents, but I would assume on staff as well. And of course, on families that were in our study,” said Suzanne Dupuis-Blanchard, a professor and research chair in population aging at the Université de Moncton.
She said the restrictions were so focused on the physical health of seniors, “we forgot about the impact of social isolation and what it meant.”
And what it meant was more anxiety, depression, counselling, and medication.
Regardless of science, mandates or preventative measures, seniors have had to live in isolation from family, friends, and community during the pandemic or COVID crisis. Thankfully, organizations such as Simply Compassion Advocacy Society located in Okotoks under the direction of Debbie Dunwell, has managed to find a way to support seniors by having volunteers call clients and converse with them through the volunteer phone program. We are now able to visit in person with some seniors.
