VISIT
VISIT PRIMARY MEDICARE ACOM. >> WELCOME BACK. WELL THERE'S NO DOUBT OUR
SENIOR POPULATION HAS TAKEN THE
BRUNT OF THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC
PERIODS OF ISOLATION ESPECIALLY
FOR THOSE IN CARE FACILITIES
HAS BEEN NECESSARY TO PROTECT
THEM.
BUT IT CAN BE INCREDIBLY LONELY
.
PSYCHOLOGIST JULIE STROMAL
OF THE EVERETT CLINIC SAYS IT'S
IMPORTANT TO REACH OUT DESPITE
THE BARRIERS THAT DEEPEST
CONCERNS FOR MANY HAS BEEN
ISOLATION.
>> SO MANY PEOPLE ARE LIVING IN
RETIREMENT COMMUNITIES AND
SETTINGS WHERE THEY WERE
REQUIRED TO STAY IN THEIR ROOMS
AWAY FROM LOVED ONES, AWAY FROM
FRIENDS, AWAY FROM THEIR
FAMILIAR ACTIVITIES AND THE
THINGS THAT BROUGHT THEM JOY
HELP THEM TO DEAL WITH DAY TO
DAY STRESS.
SO IT'S THE ISOLATION WHICH IS
REALLY SUCH AN IMPORTANT THING
FOR THOSE OF US WHO DO NOT FALL
INTO THAT GROUP TO KEEP IN MIND
THAT IT'S THE SIMPLE THINGS
LIKE GOING GROCERY SHOPPING OR
HUGGING YOUR GRANDKIDS.
>> THERE IS SUCH A HIGH RISK
FOR EVEN THOSE ACTIVITIES.
RIGHT?
>> IT REALLY IS AND
EVERYTHING'S BEEN TURNED UPSIDE
DOWN.
SO I THINK WE CAN ALL BECOME
EXHAUSTED AND WANT TO CONVINCE
OURSELVES THAT WE ACTUALLY
DON'T NEED TO BE CAREFUL.
HOWEVER WE DO RIGHTS AND WE MAY
NEED TO DO THIS FOR A WHILE.
>> SO THAT BEING SAID, YOU
KNOW, JUST LIKE IF WE LEARNED
TO COPE WITH THE COLD OR FLU,
WE CAN PINCH IT FOR A LITTLE
WHILE.
BUT JUST LIKE A MAYBE A CHRONIC
CONDITION WE NEED TO HAVE SOME
LONG TERM STRATEGIES THAT WORK
OVER THE MONTHS NOT JUST FOR A
WEEK OR TWO.
>> SO WHAT DO YOU SUGGEST?
WHERE SHOULD PEOPLE BEGIN?
>> SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO
REALIZE THAT WE NEED TO START
NOW AND NOT WAIT AND SEE IF
THIS GOES AWAY.
THESE ARE GOOD STRATEGIES TO
START RIGHT NOW.
SO TO BE PROACTIVE AND NOT WAIT
FOR IT TO COME TO US OR HAPPEN
TO US.
SO ONE THING THAT WE DO KNOW IS
THAT FOLLOWING A ROUTINE IS
VERY HELPFUL.
WE DON'T HAVE TO REINVENT THE
WHEEL EVERY DAY.
IT GIVES US A SENSE
OF PREDICTABILITY AND SECURITY
SOMETHING WE CAN'T CONTROL.
THERE IS A LOT GOING ON IN THE
WORLD OUTSIDE AND WE CAN'T
CONTROL THAT AS MUCH BUT WE CAN
CERTAINLY STICK WITH THE
SCHEDULE.
IF YOU PICK SOME MAIN ANCHOR
POINTS THE DAY GET UP, GET
DRESSED.
IT JUST HELPS US FEEL BETTER.
AND WHAT ABOUT THIS NOTION
OF RESILIENCY?
HOW CAN YOU BUILD THAT AT OR
HELP SOMEONE THAT YOU LOVE?
BUILD THAT OR FIND THAT IN
THEMSELVES?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
AGAIN, IT COMES FROM THE IDEA
OF BEING PROACTIVE.
SO WE DO KNOW THAT WE CAN
PROBLEM SOLVE A LOT OF THINGS.
WE CAN REACH OUT AND LET PEOPLE
KNOW THAT WE COULD USE A CALL
EVERY DAY OR TWO.
>> I HEAR A LOT OF OLDER ADULTS
TOLD ME THAT THEIR FAMILY HAS A
LOT GOING ON.
THEY'RE TOO BUSY HONESTLY.
LET'S NOT BE TOO BUSY FOR EACH
OTHER.
SO GO AHEAD AND REACH OUT, LET
THEM KNOW I'M HAVING A HARD
TIME.
YOU KNOW I HAVE TO STAY ALONE
IN MY ROOM RIGHT NOW.
I COULD REALLY USE A CALL EVERY
DAY, MAYBE A FEW GOOD JOKES.
I BELIEVE KIDS ARE DOING THOSE
SORTS OF THINGS CAN MAKE ALL
THE DIFFERENCE.
>> I HAVE TO BE TOTALLY
TRANSPARENT.
>> I HAVE BEEN GUILTY ABOUT,
YOU KNOW, WORKING FROM HOME TO
KIDS VIRTUALLY LEARNING.
I DON'T CHECK IN WITH MY
PARENTS AS MUCH AS I SHOULD.
SURE.
CAN IT BE AS SIMPLE AS JUST A
PHONE CALL OR A TEXT SAYING
THAT I'M THINKING OF YOU?
OR ARE THERE CERTAIN THINGS
THAT WE REALLY SHOULD TRY TO DO
ENGAGE OUR OLDER LOVED ONES
WITH IN CONVERSATION GOING?
>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
YES, IT IS THAT SIMPLE.
SO WE ALL NEED TO BELONG.
WE ALL NEED TO BE CARED ABOUT.
WE DO BETTER WHEN WE'RE NEEDED
AND WE DO BETTER WHEN WE HAVE
OTHER PEOPLE TO LEAN ON.
SO THAT CONNECTION IS HUGE.
IT'S IT'S REALLY KEY.
GRANDPARENTS TO REACH OUT AND
WATCH YOUR GRANDKIDS ASK WHAT
THEY'RE UP TO.
READ THEM A STORY AND STAY
CONNECTED.
YEAH, IT FEELS LIKE WHILE WE
ARE FOCUSED ON HELPING OUR
SENIOR POPULATION DEAL WITH
THEIR SENSE OF ISOLATION.
>> ULTIMATELY THIS IS SUPER
HEALTHY FOR ALL OF US.
RIGHT.
BECAUSE IF WE'RE CONNECTING
WITH THE PEOPLE THAT WE LOVE
THAT MAKES US FEEL BETTER TOO.
>> OH SO TRUE.
SO TRUE.
YES.
WE'RE WE'RE INTERDEPENDENT.
IF WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT
LIVING MATURELY SO WE TRY AND
GROW UP AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO
DO THINGS ON OUR OWN REALLY THE
NEXT STEP IN ADULT HOOD AND
MATURITY IS TO REALIZE WE ALL
NEED EACH OTHER AND WE ALL HAVE
SOMETHING TO SHARE WITH EACH
OTHER.
SO LIFT EACH OTHER UP RIGHT
AFTER THAT INTERVIEW I PICKED
UP MY PHONE AND TEXTED MY
PARENTS.
>> I THINK THEY'RE WATCHING
RIGHT NOW TO LOVE YOU GUYS.
ALL RIGHT.
LIKE JULIE SAYS, WE SHOULD
NEVER BE