THE AFTERMATH OF COVID 19 IS NOT ONLY PHYSICAL

 One of its main repercussions is the painful isolation in which older adults live today, and the short time in which they can see their children. The other day, I was watching on YouTube a documentary about life in Japan today. In one of the scenes, several cleaning workers are shown entering an apartment to retrieve the body of an old man who had died in the solitude of his home. When his daughter is interviewed and asked if she was not in touch with her father, she replies crying that she always asked her father to call her, but that he did not comply. It’s not difficult to understand the father's plight; one thing is to meet our children for a meal or coffee, and quite another to call them on the phone when they are busy working. I also feel uncomfortable when I need to call my son during working hours. What's more, if by any chance I decide to call him, I send him a message beforehand to see if he is free to talk. But in a country like Japan, a scene like the one just described is surprising. That an elderly father dies in the solitude of a messy apartment, having a daughter nearby is proof that we are entering a different historical era. The isolation imposed by COVID in a country where parents and grandparents are revered as sublime teachers is deeply troubling. While it is true that modernity and the economy have also made their way and changed our customs, I think that COVID has no small responsibility in the isolation that we are all suffering on a daily basis. One day at a time we are getting used to living stuck in our homes, as we become witnesses of an increasing number of suicides; unfortunately, life in solitude raises questions that are unbearable for some. The brains of Covid-19 patients have been investigated and not only physiological changes have been detected, but also their level of anxiety and depression has been found to be higher than the normal. Dr. Rachel V. F. Rohaidy, a psychiatrist at Baptist Health Primary Care and director of The Recovery Village at Baptist Health, said, "People who have had the virus are especially susceptible to suicidal thoughts." (Baptist Health, South Florida). But without going to the extremes of taking our own lives, the loneliness and isolation imposed on us by this pandemic are especially painful for the elderly who live alone at home and who see their family only occasionally. It is well known that human beings are social beings, and that prolonged loneliness weakens their ability to enjoy life. In other words, in isolation our life loses its meaning. That is why it is of great importance that older adults have access to centers whose activities distract them and allow them to be in the company of other people of the same generation. Luckily, volunteers who teach courses are never lacking and their valuable work results in making the lives of older adults much more attractive. I dare say that if the gentleman of the Japanese documentary had had access to this kind of service, he would still be among us.

RIP