The Effects of the Coronavirus on Senior Citizens

This story took place on March, 13th from 1:20pm - 3:00 pm

COVID 19 has affected us in a number of ways. Whether it’s the fact that you can’t see loved ones, you have gotten sick, or your mental health has been struggling we all know that this time has been difficult. Senior citizens have also been struggling more than we realize. According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control) “People in their 50s are at higher risk for severe illness than people in their 40s. Similarly, people in their 60s or 70s are, in general, at higher risk for severe illness than people in their 50s. The greatest risk for severe illness from COVID-19 is among those aged 85 or older.” The CDC has also given suggestions for senior citizens to follow such as attending senior shopping hours, wear a mask, and wash hands frequently. In nursing homes, visiting is restricted and residents are often confined to their rooms.

I talked with Kelly Bell, an employee at St. Paul’s Nursing Home, to see her take on working with the elderly during a pandemic. Kelly has worked at this facility for 4 years and deeply cares for the residents she works with every day. Seeing residents struggle during this virus has been difficult for her she says. When interviewed, Kelly stated, “It has been really hard to see residents decline, and not be able to see their families.” She also stated, “We do lots of hand sanitizing and infection control.”

Kelly Bell getting ready to help Yvonne Yusko.

Yvonne Yusko from Greenville, PA.

I also interviewed my grandma, Yvonne Yusko, to see how she is feeling during the pandemic. Yvonne stated, “I will not be getting the vaccine, I don’t believe there is enough testing yet.”