Isolation is deadly, too, experts say. Fresno retirees struggle with mental health in pandemic
After nearly one year of isolation to avoid contracting COVID-19, Fresno’s older adults are voicing the invisible ways the pandemic is affecting their health.
In a survey completed by readers, many retirees told The Bee that isolation from family, friends and other social outings is taking a toll on their mental and emotional wellbeing. Similarly, in a survey conducted by the Fresno Madera Agency on Aging, 42% of respondents reported feelings of depression, loneliness or isolation.
Fresno State gerontology professor Dr. Helen Miltiades told The Bee the pandemic and isolation can lead to other negative health effects that might go unreported, such as cognitive decline, elder abuse and the perpetuation of stereotypes about older and aging adults.
She highlighted work from the Alzheimer’s Association that looked at federal data for 2020 and found 38,000 unexpected Alzheimer’s deaths that weren’t related to COVID, and increase of 16% for what was predicted.
“So isolation is deadly for older adults,” Miltiades said.
The 2020 annual plan update for the Fresno Madera Agency on Aging found over 38,600 people age 60 and older in Fresno and Madera counties live alone, and more than 30,000 are geographically isolated. Together, the two counties are home to an estimated 215,000 adults age 60 and older.
‘Missing the moments in life’
Leslie Botos, 73, returned to Fresno to finish her career and retire here, but mostly she and her husband wanted to live near their new grandson.
Since the pandemic hit in March 2020, they’ve hardly seen their grandson. They stood outside at a gate and waved while wearing their Halloween costumes. They left Christmas gifts on the porch and celebrated over Zoom.
“The hardest thing for me that’s had the most emotional impact is missing the moments in life of a little one growing up — those moments that you don’t plan, like learning to read a book and seeing him take his first steps,” she said.
Botos lives with an autoimmune condition and limits her public outings. She’s gone to a few doctor and dentist appointments, but her husband does most of the grocery shopping.
As a social person, Botos said she has greatly missed exchanging hugs.
“I know we smile with our faces and mouths, but now we also smile with our eyes,” she said.
In retirement, she hoped to volunteer. She and her husband looked forward to spontaneous trips to the coast in the middle of the week. Botos said she’s thankful for Zoom so she can stay connected and still meet new people.
Still, she has grieved the loss of friends — and time.
“As we get older, we realize the time we have is less and less. Taking a whole year of it is taking a whole bunch of our lives,” she said. “There’s not a lot of time left for me.”
Botos received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in late January and was scheduled to receive the second dose this month. Her husband was vaccinated through Veterans Affairs.
Health effects of isolation
Before talking about the health effects of isolation, Miltiades said it’s important to remember aging adults already face heightened risk and fear over the health effects of COVID-19.
“You add this layer of ‘you’re most likely to die,’” she said.
The pandemic eliminated older adults’ protective community factors, such as houses of worship, senior centers, congregate meal sites — and even doctor offices. Retirees already are more alone because they don’t have a work place. Add the pandemic to the mix, and many are faced with caring for themselves, too, Miltiades said.
Social engagement is crucial to staying healthy for aging people and contributes to longevity, she said.
“There is a huge component of actually feeling like you matter,” she said. “Talking to people is good for your mind. It’s stimulating. It helps your self-esteem to feel value, like you matter and like you have a purpose.”
Losing those things takes a huge toll on mental and emotional health.
Plus, the vocabulary of mental health isn’t necessarily something older adults feel comfortable using, Miltiades said. They likely won’t say they’re depressed or anxious, but they will say they’re stressed.
Trevor Birkholz is a clinical supervisor for the older adult team with Fresno County Department of Behavioral Health. He and his team work with people age 60 and over who have significant mental health needs. The team also connects people with other resources in the community.
Working with their clients during the pandemic has been challenging because they struggle to connect online or on the phone. They also aren’t doing group sessions.
“COVID has led them to be increasingly isolated, and that deepens their anxiety and depression,” he said.
The pandemic has revealed some silver linings for his clients, Birkholz said. Many already were isolated before the pandemic, so since most people now are isolated his clients feel more “normal.” Some clients received phone calls from family members they had not heard from in years and were able to reconnect.
Tips for staying active and connected
While it’s important to follow health protocols such as wearing masks and practicing social distancing, Miltiades suggested assessing the risks of seeing family members who are older. If both sides have been isolating for two weeks, the risk of visiting outdoors with masks is relatively low. If you both already plan to go grocery shopping, what would it hurt to show up there at the same time?
“I think you have to evaluate risks, and I don’t think people are doing that. They’re just terrified,” she said.
Birkholz said the No. 1 thing to do to stay healthy if you’re isolating is to maintain your routine. Wake up and eat meals consistently at the same time each day.
He also suggested limiting consumption of bad news to two hours weekly.
“Ask yourself: Am I learning anything new by watching six hours of the news about COVID?” he said. “Our brains and our bodies can only manage so much. When we go over that, we can all reach a tipping point when we really get worse.”
It’s also important to reach out to someone you trust who will be understanding and supportive, rather than someone who will tell you, “Don’t worry, it will all be OK,” Birkholz said.
Both he and Miltiades recommended maintaining a hobby.
If you’re able, change your scenery as much as possible by getting outdoors, whether that means taking a walk or even a drive.
Said Miltiades: “You can only stay inside for so long.”
Resources
- Valley Caregiver Resource Center offers phone support programs links people needing care to resources. 559-224-9154
- The Alzheimer’s Association offers training classes for caregivers, support groups and referrals to local resources. Call the main hot line, and you will be transferred to someone local. 800-272-3900
- For an emergency food pantry, visit the Central California Food Bank website at ccfoodbank.org or call 211.
- Telebuddies is for older adults to connect with each other via phone. It’s hosted by Hands on Central California. 559-237-3101
- Saint Agnes Medical Center offers free, online workshops to help manage health conditions such as diabetes, chronic pain and healthier living. 559-450-3770