Home, not Alone

TEN COPING STRATEGIES FOR OLDER OREGONIANS DURING COVID-19

‘When, in the midst of our life’s journey, I went astray from the straight road and woke to find myself alone in a dark wood….” So begins Dante’s poem, The Inferno. In the story, Dante journeys through a chaotic landscape of cliffs, rivers and canyons. He is not quite alone; Virgil stays with him to guide along and lift his spirits. At long last there is an end, another side of the dark time, and they emerge, “When once again, we saw the stars.”

The “dark wood” of this coronavirus pandemic is especially difficult for Oregon’s older adults. They are among the most vulnerable to getting sick with COVID-19. Some of us are already lonely and isolated. Some are faced with the ageism baked into American culture.

But, we also have experience and perspective: there will be another side. We know that as communities, we will get through this dark wood.

AGE+ offers the ideas below for coping during this pandemic. They are gleaned from counselors, teachers, health workers and other adults. We share these strategies with deep respect for differences in individual personality and circumstances.

Don’t try to do all of these! Pick and choose the strategies that fit your personality, abilities and aptitudes.

Click each of the sections below for information that may help you cope during this uncertain time.