As we near closer to our country’s one-year lockdown anniversary, the long-term impacts of COVID-19 are now being revealed. Besides the obvious physical impacts, the virus has taken some social and mental tolls as well.  Although we all, in varying amounts, have felt the damage this virus has done, one group of people, in particular, stands out the most. This is the same age group that the virus directly harms—the elderly.

Countless studies have already been done on the long-term impacts of COVID-19 on the elderly population, but these are usually about the more physical effects of the condition—very few have been done on the mental aspect.

In order to fully understand how our country’s senior population is feeling, we have to go straight to the source.

“COVID-19 has affected me a lot. Since it started, we don’t leave our rooms and only one or two people are allowed in the main room at a time,” explained 89-year-old Helen Haberlein, who currently resides in Sherwood Oaks Retirement Home in Cranberry. “We can’t get together with anyone, but we can call and ask staff to bring stuff like books. We are very lucky to have such skilled doctors. Most of all this pandemic has made me realize how important family is. Starting Monday, we are doing something with meditation to calm everyone’s nerves. Most of all, I miss church and my family. I have my computer, and I’m grateful for FaceTime.”

Though she’s nervous about the effects of the virus on the elderly, Haberlein is grateful to have received the vaccination.

“I’ve had my first shot. It made me very tired, and the next day, it made my arm hurt. I’m still glad I had it though. I should get a second one in March”. 

Like Haberlein, 76-year-old Edward Folkes is adjusting to life under strict COVID-19 guidelines. 

“The virus has affected my life in so many ways, but I find masks annoy me the most,” said the former engineer. “Just the other day, I walked all the way to the bank and then was told I can’t enter as I left my mask in the car, so then I had to walk all the way back. Not to mention you can’t hear people talking through those darn things. All in all, I’ve been able to handle the stress of this pandemic well—it’s the stress I cause others that I worry about.”

Although finding vaccine appointments has proven difficult, Folkes is prepared and is doing his research daily.

“A lot of people have fallen for bad information about vaccines, but I remember the 50s. I couldn’t go swimming for a whole summer until Jonas Salk from the University of Pittsburgh came along and made a vaccine for polio,” he said.

Perhaps impacted the most, 75-year-old Patrick Caulfield is a dental crown manufacturer, who has continued to work throughout the pandemic.

“This pandemic has really slowed down things for me—you have to think before you do any action unless you want to end up sick,” Caulfield said. “Whenever I go shopping, I try to be extra cautious, thinking hard before I make a decision. This pandemic is completely new to everyone, although I feel like I’ve handled the stress of it well.”

Unlike Haberlein and Folkes, Patrick has received both doses of his vaccine and is ready to get back to work.

“The sooner this pandemic is over, the better,” he said.