May 15, 2020 – For scores of seniors who live at home alone, the coronavirus pandemic has given rise to a number of serious questions about the inherent risks of being on their own. Questions like: What happens if I catch the virus? Who will take care of me if I get sick? And…Should I be living someplace safer right now?
Before the pandemic, families frequently dropped in to check up on elderly loved ones. Now, even if relatives are just across town, they are often busy home-schooling their own children, working from home or locked down themselves. Out-of-state relatives cannot jump on a plane and be there if they are needed. With seniors being identified as the population most at risk for contracting the virus, family members often choose not to make unnecessary home visits to elderly relatives to prevent any possibility of exposure. Instead, seniors are relying on deliveries of basic provisions at home or putting themselves at greater risk by visiting grocery stores and pharmacies on their own.
For seniors who have never been afraid to live alone before, the new risks associated with COVID-19 have them worried about being more isolated and their safety. Even senior couples who are at home alone together run the risk of picking up the virus and bringing it home to a spouse with each trip out of the house. Caretaking under the “new normal” of pandemic circumstances has become difficult for many as the isolation sets in. As a result, many seniors are turning to assisted living as a safer option. Retirement communities offer an insulated environment with significant virus protections already in place, like controlled visitor access, daily temperature monitoring, and the added peace of mind of having professional caregivers watching over residents.
“My friend Irene Grahn, who now lives at Silvergate [Retirement Residences], has macular degeneration and some hearing loss. If she were still at home with this pandemic going on, she’d be in real trouble,” said Norm Halus, a long-time friend who has been social distancing and serenading Grahn to keep her spirits high from 6 feet away on her patio. “Just having food delivered would be hard for her to manage right now if she were still alone at home. At Silvergate, all of her meals are prepared and served directly to her, so she doesn’t have to worry about it. The community’s safety measures and monitoring of the residents has been tremendous during this time.”
Silvergate San Marcos, an award winning senior living community for nearly 30 years, recognizes the challenges faced by seniors living alone at home. They have taken extensive measures to ensure the health and wellbeing of its residents – safety protocols that most seniors would find difficult to undertake at home on their own.
“We understand the uncertainty and fear that seniors can feel when they are home alone, especially right now,” said Joan Rink-Carroll, Executive Director of Silvergate San Marcos . “Most seniors need interaction with others and caregivers if they want to maintain their health and simply feel better from day to day. If you are at home struggling behind closed doors, we invite you to call us for advice or to talk about your situation. By reaching out to us from home, we can lift that burden of concern off of seniors and help them bring normalcy and peace of mind back into their lives right now.”
For those who are nervous about living alone, now may be exactly the right time to learn more about Silvergate San Marcos. The community offers independent living, assisted living and memory care in a premier senior living community that features studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom accommodations. To take a Virtual Tour or learn about apartment availability, call David Nelson, Marketing Director for the community at 760-744-4484 or visit www.Silvergaterr.com