SOCIAL ISOLATION

So many of us are staying home secondary to the Corona Virus precautions. We were recently informed that this may go on for another month. As we are social beings, it is one of the hardest things to ask any of us. I talk frequently with family, friends and patients on the phone, but it is so not like being with them in person. 

No one wants to catch the Corona Virus, so we do what was asked of us. It is stressful times for sure. I so believe that the majority of us use humor to cope. When speaking with a patient or a family member, their humor frequently does rise up to lighten the load.

I spoke with, "Caroline" today to check in and assess how she was doing and if she had any needs. Not surprisingly, the impact of her social isolation became the subject of our talk. She lives in a cottage on the property of a very large retirement center. Caroline would eat her dinner meal in the dining room in the main building each night for dinner. That is now on hold as the facility delivers her dinner meal to her. Many activities were offered each day for fun and socialization. All of that has been cancelled until it is safe again for all of us to resume our life in our normal way again.

What was wonderful was her humor. We would talk about the impact of the virus on everyone's life and she would have me laughing. Thank goodness each of us has humor to help ease the difficult reality. Thank you Caroline for lightening my load.



SOCIAL ISOLATION　

We all have been advised
to stay home; stay safe.
Only go outdoors if it is essential;
to the grocery store, to the pharmacy.

I can only telephone my patients now.
No visiting to their home; their facility.
By the end of each conversation, I typically hear,
"Thank you so much for the call; the support."

We are all social beings.
We love being with our family and our friends.
Yes, we can talk to them on the telephone;
but it is not like being with them in person.

It has become the major topic of each conversation
as it has completely changed the way we live.
I hear a lot of humor in my telephone calls
as laughter is a great antibiotic for stress.

She lives alone which makes it hard.
She longs for having people visit; to be around.
"I only see someone when I go get my mail.
Otherwise there is no one here but me."

"I do talk to my children all of the time,
but it's not like they are standing here."
Her humor did rise late in our talk
as, while laughing, she ended with
"It's seclusion,
          it's seclusion;
                   it's seclusion."