By Sheila Robison, Economic Security Team Member for MiCAFE at Elder Law of Michigan

Masks, social distancing, quarantines, Stay at Home orders, avoid crowded indoor spaces, work from home, order groceries to be delivered, order prescriptions to be delivered, leave it on the porch, sanitize all incoming items, let mail sit for three days before opening, use gloves, wash your hands, isolate from others when sick, clean, clean, clean, and clean more. If there is nothing else to do, clean more, sanitize more, repeat.

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people who are in their 60’s or 70’s are at a higher risk for severe illness with COVID-19. Most often, older adults already have medical conditions so when COVID-19 strikes, they need hospitalization for acute symptoms. Yes, we are surviving.

Though this may be nothing you haven’t heard before, and patience is running thin on COVID-19’s timeline, it is important for us all to remain conscious and stay painfully aware of the ramifications this virus can have in our lives. We all need to take precautions in our daily life and not let our guard down. Just the same as we would not walk out into an expressway full of traffic, we would not knowingly put ourselves at risk for contracting COVID-19. Common sense tells us there may be deadly consequences to both actions, thus we need to keep up with daily safety routines.

Someday, we will look back on these “COVID-19 Days.” We will tell our children and grandchildren what it was like to live through a pandemic. As reported by the CDC, the influenza pandemic of 1918, caused by an H1N1 virus, was recorded as the most severe in history, COVID-19’s outbreak far outweighs the count. We will remember these times. In the future, when we receive our mail from our mail carrier’s hands, jump in the car to go pick up a few groceries, or socialize with family and friends for special occasions, we will remember we were survivors. When we give hugs, shake hands, sing with a church congregation, and travel for enjoyable vacations, we will feel the difference from times past. We are survivors. Be safe, my friend.  

Sheila Robison is an Economic Security Team Member for MiCAFE as well as an MMAP counselor at Elder Law of Michigan and has been a member of the Elder Law of Michigan team since June 2010. As an Economic Security Team Member, Sheila assists Michigan seniors with benefit applications and serves as an advocate for the health and safety of seniors.