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Isolation: How Do We Handle it?

Posted by Teresa, Volunteer Mentor @hopeful33250, Mar 16, 2020

As boundaries are being mandated in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, these boundaries are affecting every area of our lives. Many hospitals, assisted living facilities, places of worship, libraries, restaurants, community centers are being closed to visitors and public gatherings. For many of us, these keep us from our typical ways of connecting with others and engaging with a supportive community.

What are you doing to keep yourself connected?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Post-COVID Recovery & COVID-19 Support Group.

cecilias | @cecilias | Mar 22, 2020
In reply to @fiesty76 "Cecilias, I appreciate both your ambition and the happiness brighter looking rooms will give all who..." + (show)
@fiesty76

Cecilias, I appreciate both your ambition and the happiness brighter looking rooms will give all who enter them!

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Thank you so very much, God Bless you always

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wisco50 | @wisco50 | Mar 22, 2020

Phone, texting, FaceTime - the latter especially with the youngest grandkids.

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wisco50 | @wisco50 | Mar 22, 2020
In reply to @gingerw "I think being alone and isolated can be considered two different things. Like others here, I..." + (show)
@gingerw

I think being alone and isolated can be considered two different things. Like others here, I am an introvert by my base nature. But there are still sometimes when I want to have some interaction with people. I rebel against those who say I have to be isolated. Of course, I just don't do well with rules anyways LOL. Being able to go for a walk and wave at neighbor helps, as does watching people in a distance, or even hearing people doing their yard work. That serves to not feel so isolated.

In this time of mandated isolation or less frequent contact with others, I'm fine with grabbing art supplies or books to keep myself busy. So far I have not Resort it to taking on long overdue projects like sorting through old papers or finding things that need to be recycled. To me those will always be there!
Ginger

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I was an only child plus have been divorced since 1979 so am familiar and comfortable with alone time. I live a bit out of town and only have one neighbor. But further down my road runs along a lake, so it is a pleasant place to walk with fields and woods on the other side. Seeing lots more people walking and everyone smiles and says hello. My big frustration is I had the spinal cord stimulator placed end of January so I still have restrictions on what I do/how I move. I feel great but still only about 7 weeks out. I could be cutting back perennials, cleaning house, attacking the basement but no can do! :<(

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wanda1 | @wanda1 | Mar 22, 2020

texting. phoning, making gratitude list daily, focus on positive, limit news reports

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cecilias | @cecilias | Mar 22, 2020
In reply to @wisco50 "I was an only child plus have been divorced since 1979 so am familiar and comfortable..." + (show)
@wisco50

I was an only child plus have been divorced since 1979 so am familiar and comfortable with alone time. I live a bit out of town and only have one neighbor. But further down my road runs along a lake, so it is a pleasant place to walk with fields and woods on the other side. Seeing lots more people walking and everyone smiles and says hello. My big frustration is I had the spinal cord stimulator placed end of January so I still have restrictions on what I do/how I move. I feel great but still only about 7 weeks out. I could be cutting back perennials, cleaning house, attacking the basement but no can do! :<(

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All those things can wait, enjoy the feeling that this too will pass. All the STUFF will wait! Blessings, Celia

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Moderator
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Mar 22, 2020

Welcome recent members and first-time posters @lindyki @wanda1 @wisco50 and @cecilias. Nice to see you here.
Among the social distancing, I have noticed more smiles. People who used to walk past one another, eyes cast elsewhere, are now making a point of saying hi, waving or simply smiling. Smiles are free and have the benefit of spreading good the more you give away. I think that is our silver lining in all this.

Another positive for me, is that my teenage daughter is pitching in more around the house as I work from home. We used to have home economics when I was in school. They don't do that anymore, but I've heard the now have "Adulting classes." Yup - adulting is a thing. So I've called learning how to do laundry, clean the kitchen and do more cooking to be her adulting class while school is out.

Here's my smile for everyone who needs one 🙂

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Ellen | @helenfrances | Mar 22, 2020

Colleen, thank you for making me smile!
I will pass it on 🌝

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adk | @adk | Mar 22, 2020

Idk how we keep connected but it seems coming through 5 years of self inflicted isolation... There is a writer..a journalist..a scientist in us all. Ive been one whose always sold self short. In due..cuz its what we do. Gladly. Even when it hurts.
Ive been almost trapped.. Seemingly.
But its allowed a huge expansion of self selves and non self.
What to do with a culmination of this five years work is my question.

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1 reply
Mentor
John, Volunteer Mentor | @johnbishop | Mar 22, 2020
In reply to @adk "Idk how we keep connected but it seems coming through 5 years of self inflicted isolation......" + (show)
@adk

Idk how we keep connected but it seems coming through 5 years of self inflicted isolation... There is a writer..a journalist..a scientist in us all. Ive been one whose always sold self short. In due..cuz its what we do. Gladly. Even when it hurts.
Ive been almost trapped.. Seemingly.
But its allowed a huge expansion of self selves and non self.
What to do with a culmination of this five years work is my question.

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Hello @adk, Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. In my humble opinion, it is easy to sell ourselves short in difficult times. You mention what to do with a culmination of this five years work. I'm really not sure what you are referring to but maybe it's just a simple matter of trying to learn from the past and do better in the future. I have always tried to learn from the mistakes I've made in the past...not to say that I haven't repeated some of those mistakes. 🙂 May tomorrow and the following days be better for you than today.

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Parus | @parus | Mar 22, 2020

The most difficult thing for me is no time with my grandson. I so miss his energy, hugs and playfulness. Fortunately his dad is still working with hazard pay. I tend to be more the solitary type. Grocery shopping is it for me. These employees are to be heralded. I also bake bread for those unable to get bread. Hoping to get more flour tomorrow. Being a creative cook is helpful. Some of what I do to handle the isolation from family and neighbors.
I do email and text with family. I stop here at connect at times to see how others are doing.
This has certainly rearranged our lives. Still smiling too.

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