COVID-19 & Me: Keeping Physically Safe and Mentally Well During the Pandemic

by Rachel Scott, MA, Doctoral Student, Behavioral & Cognitive Neuroscience

As the Covid-19 pandemic has progressed, there has been a significant focus on physical health and wellness, especially for older adults. While physical health is important, it is also important that we check in with our emotional, psychological and social well-being.

According to the 2021 National Poll on Health Aging, about 1 in 5 older adults reported that their mental health worsened since the beginning of the pandemic. More specifically, 1 in 4 older adults said they are more anxious and worried than prior to the pandemic. Additionally, more than 1 in 3 older adults indicated that they felt isolated from others (46%) or had a lack of companionship (37%) in the past year. Given the uncertainty that has come with the pandemic, these feelings are completely understandable and deserve compassion and attention.

Here are some helpful tips to help you improve your mental health during this tumultuous time:

Stay Informed

To ensure your physical health, it's important to stay informed and take reasonable steps to protect yourself and your loved ones. Controlling how you stay informed can also help reduce worrying and anxiety caused by misinformation and information overload. This is possible by getting facts and following guidance from verified, trusted sources such as the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), and your local health department.

Engage in Healthy Activities

Engaging in healthy activities help promote better physical and mental wellness. These healthy activities can include practicing good sleep hygiene by getting seven to nine hours of sleep a night, having a well-balanced diet, and staying active (taking walks, chair yoga, gardening, etc.). A healthy body means a happier brain!

Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness helps us to acknowledge situations and the resulting emotions without being carried away by them. We can practice mindfulness by engaging in meditation, yoga nidra (a form of yoga that induces deep relaxation), and following growth mindsets. If you are interested in learning more about mindfulness you can do so HERE.

Stay Connected

Staying connected with loved ones and other support networks (such as faith communities, hobby groups and support groups) is a key strategy to help lessen feelings of isolation during quarantining. Try to make a commitment to speak with at least one person each day either using your telephone, email, video chat, or social media. If you have access to the internet but it is a bit intimidating, no worries! You can find a helpful guide to navigating the intricacies of the internet HERE. Having a support buddy to have daily check-ins can go a long way in helping you feel connected and grounded.

Be Kind 

Lastly, remember to give yourself patience and grace! It is 100% okay if you do not have everything perfectly together right now. Practicing kindness and empathynot just for others, but for yourselfwill go a long way in helping you stay physically safe and mentally well during the pandemic and beyond.

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