Keeping older people connected for mental and physical health during lockdown

Many have been forced to stay in their homes since the beginning of March, unable to hug grandchildren or see much-loved family members and friends, to pop down to the shops for groceries or call into a local cafe for an uplifting bit of chat and a cuppa, the weeks rolling by unpeopled and lonely.

Some might only see a loved one waving from the distance of their garden gate with deliveries of food or medicine; for others social contact might have been reduced to the odd phone call.

All this, while necessary to thwart the spread of the virus and to safeguard the vulnerability of older people, takes its toll on both psychological and physical health, the two being intimately entwined.

Keeping older people apart from families, friends and the wider community for a prolonged period is a recipe for deep unhappiness, depression and loneliness, most of all for those not online – which is the majority past 75, according to Age UK research. The adverse physical impact of being stuck largely at home can be considerable too.

The older generation are not quite so adept at using the kind of online platforms that allow the young to stay in constant contact, but organisations such as Engage with Age have been doing their bit to introduce Zoom meet-ups, online bingo and Tai Chi classes, group chats over the phone and online coffee mornings, and now that certain restrictions have been eased, socially distanced walks in groups of ten or less.

And for those unable to avail of online platforms Engage with Age have been circulating a publication called The Pal Gazette since the beginning of lockdown which is full of poems, stories and recipes submitted by older people.

Director of the organisation, Eamon Quinn, said its aim was to help older people’s groups co-ordinate events and reach their goal of ensuring that the older generation lead “happier, healthier, better connected lives”. During lockdown services such as these have never been more vital.

“We receive calls everyday from people who say ‘I haven’t spoken to anybody in a week’, or people who tell us they don’t want to go outside in case they catch coronavirus,” says Eamon.

“So we link people in to different services and help them join a network or forum that will allow for new friendships to blossom via phone call. We have a phone call pyramid where each person arranges to call two other people that they haven’t spoken to in a while. We’re all about opening the lines of communication.

“In normal circumstances we would help older people arrange to play games together like darts, bowls, Scrabble, and so on. We try to create what you might call a ‘pub with no beer’ atmosphere, and we support older people’s forums, helping them to arrange communication and activity that has obviously had to become virtual during the pandemic.

“We spent the early part of the lockdown phoning older people to check on them. Then we began to arrange conference calls so people could chat together, and they became so popular, or Zoom get-togethers for those who are more cyber savvy.”

As part of this project Engage With Age have decided to throw a novel kind of one-day festival with virtual activities, discussion, exercise classes and more.

The Big Day Inside Out will take place on June 25 and the programme has been imaginatively conceptualised to observe social distancing dictates.

“The day begins with online Tai Chi on Facebook Live and by conference call.

“We will have our coffee morning. Everyone will sit down in their homes with coffee and biscuits and connect via Zoom or again over telephone. Then we will have a Looking Good Under Lockdown class where we will give tips on how men and women can look after themselves or do their hair in order to look and therefore feel better.

“There will also be crafts, poetry readings and cooking demonstrations.

“In the afternoon we will have a virtual panel discussion on ‘Older People and the new normal’ which will be chaired by the columnist Anne Hailes. Again you can Zoom in or use the telephone.

“Part of our mission is to ensure that older people are heard and their needs taken on board by local authorities and government. Eddie Lynch, the commissioner for older people in Northern Ireland will join us, along with alderman Sonya Copeland, chair of Belfast City Council’s all-party reference group on older people, plus representatives from the older people’s forums. It’s always been important to us that decision makers understand what matters to the older demographic.”

As part of the day-long festival there will be a small number of outdoor walks and people can head out in small groups, maintaining social distancing, and linking up afterwards to talk about the flowers and wildlife they saw or the birdsong they heard.

There will also be sessions of French boules along the River Lagan and performances of The Broads, a socially distanced comedy drama about the lives of Judy Garland, Bette Midler, and Marilyn Monroe. The actors have already been performing the piece in supported housing and care facilities, out in the car parks or sheltered areas, singing and accompanied by a pianist. It can be enjoyed via Zoom. Then there will also be dance routines uploaded to the organisation’s Facebook page for older people to try at home. And if you win at an online bingo session, you get a generous bar of chocolate in the post. Participants can also take part in a quiz, a fun and games session, and a selection of small outdoor events, all with social distancing measures respected.

Anne Greenan, 83, is chair of the Belfast East Seniors Forum and will take part in the panel discussion on how older people are adapting to the ‘new normal’.

She credits Engage With Age in helping her make friends and find purpose and structure in her day-to-day life since she retired from her job as a nurse.

“When I retired I dreaded ending up sitting in a corner. I was panicked and wondered what I would do next. I got involved with Engage With Age many years ago and it has allowed me to make many friends. These days we do activities on Zoom -I’ve learned how to do that. I won a bar of Galaxy doing last week’s bingo.

“During lockdown I worry about the older people who do not have access to the internet and who still have to shield because of health problems. I don’t want them to miss out on staying connected to others.

“So we all call each other a couple of times a week. Engage With Age has enriched my life and I would be lost without it. I hope plenty of older people will take part in the Big Day Inside Out.

“Lockdown was very hard and now that we are coming out of it and are able to do socially distanced walks it’s still overwhelming. You need to have others to talk to, to share your fears and anxieties.”

Anne added: “Getting involved with activities is great for a person’s physical and mental health. Being in touch with other people is a positive way to help each other cope with having to stay at home and keep social distance. Older people are a lot more resilient than is often shown in the media, so we’re reaching out together to have a great day of fun.”

The Big Day Inside Out will take place on June 25 but if you wish to participate in particular activities you need to register by June 22. All events are free. Visit www.thebigdayinsideout.com.For more information on Engage With Age and the services if offers visit engagewithage.org.uk