Sunday, January 31, 2021

Lockdown lovely for Queen, but not for all seniors

Lockdown 'Is the Only Slight Rest' the Queen Has 'Had in Her Whole Life,' Says Source | People - Simon Perry: 

January 27, 2021 - "After decades of royal duty, Queen Elizabeth's schedule has slowed amid lockdown. The coronavirus pandemic has provided an unexpected reprieve for the 94-year-old monarch, an insider tells PEOPLE in one of this week's cover stories. 'In her twilight years, I'm sure it is quite lovely not to have the pressure' of a full calendar of public events, says the insider. 'It is possible this is the only slight rest she's ever had in her whole life,' adds a source close to the Queen. 'She is well. She's in good fettle.'

"Queen Elizabeth has spent most of past year isolating at Windsor Castle with her husband, Prince Philip, 99. It's a welcomed change for the couple of 73 years — ever since his retirement from royal duties in 2017, Prince Philip usually lives at Wood Farm near Sandringham while the Queen continues her work primarily in London. As they isolate, the couple have dinner together each night."
Read more: https://people.com/royals/queen-elizabeth-lockdown-only-slight-rest-in-life/

LEVY: Loneliness and isolation from lockdowns immeasurable for seniors | Toronto Sun - Sue-Ann Levy: 

January 28, 2021 - "Judi Ritter’s heart just breaks for her 98-year-old aunt who has been pretty much isolated in her room for nearly 11 months in the Bathurst St.-Finch Ave. area home where she’s resided for 2 1/2 years. She told me Wednesday her aunt, Olga Havas, is a Holocaust survivor, nearly blind and needs help with her hearing aids. Ritter said she had a stroke a few years ago and can’t walk — leaving her either in her wheelchair or bedridden at Advent Valleyview Home.... A couple of days ago, Havas begged her daughter to get her out of there and to leave her out on the street 'to die,' said Ritter.

"If Ontario residents are distressed and frustrated by the latest lockdown, think of what a living hell it must be for seniors confined to their rooms in long-term care and retirement homes for now what is going into our 11th month of pandemic restrictions....

"Rather Die of COVID than Loneliness." Photo by Anne Delaney, Greeley Tribune, 2020. 

"Jim Stevens’ 90-year-old mom moved to a Revera retirement in Ottawa three years ago for the social activity and the meals. At 90, he said, Audrey is 'still pretty good,' but being deaf she has trouble understanding what he is saying when he tries to visit her near the front door in a mask. He said he hasn’t been 'past the front door in probably eight months'.... Stevens said his mom tells him that for the longest time they couldn’t go down to the dining room for meals, and they took away the chairs in common areas to keep people apart. Now they can go down to the dining room but have to sit one to a table far apart from the next table. 'She went there for entertainment … there’s been no social activities for months,' Stevens said....

"Elizabeth Bryce, Advent Valleyview’s administrator, said isolation to mitigate any spread is the direction they get from Toronto Public Health.... 'We’re not blaming the people who work there … it’s the system,' Ritter responds. But she said her aunt and all the others who are suffering these inhumane times, deserve better. 'They worked hard all their lives, brought up their families, paid their taxes and contributed to society,' Ritter said. 'They all deserve better than this.'"
Read more: https://torontosun.com/news/local-news/levy-loneliness-and-isolation-from-lockdowns-immeasurable-for-seniors

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