Our Time of Sheltering in Place Creatively during the Covid-19 Pandemic of 2020

While we know there are many challenges happening right now, I think we can look at some surprisingly positive unintended consequences for the whole family during the enforced isolation of the Covid-19 experience we are all sharing.

From conversations with Senior adults and their families I am hearing stories about Seniors becoming comfortable and fluent with technology in ways that they had not enjoyed before the pandemic of 2020. Kids and grandparents are learning new ways to communicate using today’s technology. Kids are looking for games they can play together, then teaching their grandparents how to play with them.

Families who have been “sheltered in place” with the initial frantic “what will we do with the kids at home?” moments are finding some new-old ways to entertain and care for each other. Talking to Moms, it feels like stepping back in time. Without all of the scheduled after school practices and activities, this forced togetherness has resulted in the creation of new pastimes and games that the whole family can enjoy together. Many have told me that in addition to the challenges of balancing home-schooling and work, the time together has actually felt more relaxed as they were not always rushing out the door to meet schedules.

Moms who would rush off to yoga class alone are setting up on-line sessions in the family room with the kids and their own yoga mats. Kids are learning to cook and help prepare meals and desserts after looking through on-line grocery lists for ingredients. With Zoom calls, Grandparents can share these experiences, and even offer helpful hints and cooking tips that they have learned over the years. Many families have adopted shelter dogs and cats, puppies and kittens, and are working on training them together.

Seniors, as well as their families, are finding that many of their medical needs can be met online without the need to visit the doctor’s office. Think how many germs are avoided with a tele-visit instead of an office visit. This frees the doctor’s office for those who really need to come in. Seniors who can access medical advice through technology can often avoid having to ask their families for transportation etc. Additionally, we are seeing an increasing availability of in-home care services as non-profits have adapted new protocols for delivery of meals and services for Seniors.

Groceries can be ordered online as easily as clothes and Christmas gifts and, with much of our work being done at home, our roads have seemed to have less traffic congestion. Finding a place to park at the shopping centers is less frustrating with more shopping being done on-line. Additionally, many store owners have found creative ways to provide curb-side pick-up service for everything from groceries to yard supplies. Hopefully, some of these services will continue after the pandemic releases us. Besides this being environmentally friendly, I would have loved this service when I was trying to maneuver two toddlers in and out of the car with their strollers and busy hands.

Neighbors are reaching out to each other and being mindful of older people who might need a call or assistance with groceries and medicine pick-ups. This was especially true when grocery shelves were being emptied of basic necessities last winter. Neighbors were checking with each other and combining grocery lists when something was available at one store but not at another.

Neighborhood gatherings with new safety protocols became the norm. People were having “driveway” cocktail parties. Neighbors were bringing their own food and a folding table for a socially-distanced dinner party. There was a friendly spirit instead of the busy isolation that had become typical for so many. There were zoom birthday parties, book clubs, Bible studies, cooking parties, and scavenger hunts. When our beloved neighbor turned 100, we organized a ‘drive-by’ birthday party for her. Dozens of decorated cars and three police cars showed up to honk, sing, and wish her well!

So many creative ideas have been shared to turn this time of stress and sadness into a time to celebrate and care for each other. Our thoughts and prayers are with our friends and neighbors who have lost loved ones or who are suffering hardship from this unexpected and life altering pandemic. However, when the next crisis appears, I wonder if we will be more prepared to jump into action and make the necessary changes more quickly so that we can feel more in control of our circumstances. We have laughed and cried, comforted and encouraged, but most of all we have persevered.

There are many stories of positive ideas and experiences that sprang from the days of this pandemic. It would be fun to share them with each other and congratulate each other for the creative ways we found to grow and thrive.