Senior centers and nursing homes, where the coronavirus has had deadly consequences, are closing their doors to visitors.
That can leave seniors with an even greater sense of isolation, said Michelle Richards, the founder of Ultimate Grace, a life management and companion care service for the elderly.
She said isolation can be very detrimental to a senior’s quality of life, especially for those with cognitive dysfunction or dementia.
“They don’t understand,” she said. “They don’t know why they are there. They have no idea why their daily routine has changed, and they’re just having a really hard time coping with this.”
To help keep the elderly safe and alleviate isolation, she’s suggesting people consider giving their loved one a “staycation” away from the nursing home.
“Get a friend or a relative to just take them in for a month or maybe two, and just to ride it out to see what’s going to happen with this,” she said.
She said it would have to be in a home at low risk for contamination with an adult who is not exposed to children.
Richards added the elderly need advocacy and protection.