Resident’s view

How housing helped me through a difficult lockdown

By Maureen Wilson

Maureen is 82 and lives in an extra care development, Dewley House, in Newcastle, owned by Leazes Homes and managed by Your Homes Newcastle.

My experience of the pandemic has been hard. I feel like there’s light at the end of the tunnel now the vaccine is being rolled out, but it’s been a difficult journey for me – and, I’m sure, for many others – to get to this point.

I moved into Dewley House in April 2020, right in the middle of the first lockdown. I couldn’t meet any of the other residents, so it was very isolating.

Before moving, I’d spent a lot of time in hospital and then residential care, so it was already a bad time for me. I suffered with depression before the lockdown and this only made things worse – knowing I couldn’t socialise was very daunting, it made me go back into a dark place and my panic attacks started again.

I used to have quite a lot of visitors. I have a lot of cousins and we were all brought up very close together. I’ve missed seeing them all so much; we talk on the phone, but it isn’t the same. I much prefer talking to someone face to face.

It was much better when things relaxed a little in the summer; I sat in the garden and so did a few others. I got to meet people and socialise, still at a safe distance. I was still careful and only had one visitor from my family, but it was so nice to meet people for the first time and chat with them. Everything seemed to be getting better.

I was just getting used to meeting and seeing people and it was all stopped.

It was awful. I felt myself getting depressed again and was worried about going back into a dark place. I was staying in bed a lot more as I felt there was nothing to get up for. I was so down.

I did sit outside with people at a safe distance, but it wasn’t the same with the colder weather and fewer people would go out.

So, throughout the latter part of last year and the early part of this one I’ve tried to keep myself busy doing other things – I enjoy jigsaws and rhinestone paintings – and I’ve also spoken to my supported living officer, Alison, about how I’m feeling.

She has taught me some relaxation techniques to use when I feel a panic attack coming on and has walked with me in the garden a couple of times. She introduced me to another resident and we sometimes speak on the phone, but I’d much rather to be able to talk to her in person.

Despite not being able to socialise with my new neighbours as I’d like to, I’m still relieved to be living here, particularly during such a strange time. I’m capable of doing a lot for myself but accept the fact I need help with certain things. While I’m still getting used to that, I’m very grateful for the care staff; they have been amazing and offered me so much support when I needed it most.

Although it’s been a very low time for me, I’ve formed a new friendship with Dorothy and speak to her over the phone, so I’m looking forward to being able to socialise with other residents when this is all over.

I think the vaccine is great. I’ve already had mine and hope everyone gets theirs. I just hope this is the answer for us to get some normality back.

“knowing I couldn’t socialise was very daunting, it made me go back into a dark place and my panic attacks started again”