These are unprecedented times in our history where we are living with a serious pandemic that is especially lethal to older adults and people with immune deficiencies. We hear on the news each day hundreds and thousands of people who are dying from this virus. We have been asked to shelter in place and distance ourselves socially. We have been instructed to wash our hands frequently, don’t touch our faces, and be mindful of everything we touch as we might come in contact with the virus. Fear has overwhelmed our country and the world. People are storming the stores and stockpiling things like toilet paper and cleaning supplies, for fear they will become scarce in the near future. We watch helplessly as the stock market plunges and people lose their jobs as businesses close. We fear for ourselves and for our loved ones. Our lives have changed drastically overnight. We are feeling grief for what we have lost – a sense of security, future plans, familiar routines, maybe even a loved one — many things we have taken for granted.
Lou-Ann Lauborough, LICSW 