COVID brought challenges, revealed resilience in Philadelphia’s older adults

dementia, physical decline and loss, Baum-Baicker said. There were also conflicts within families as members reacted differently to the virus, she said.

she wrote. “Aesthetic immersion helps us cope during uncertain times when a balance of change and steadfastness seems to be the requisite for living with COVID.”

By Jay Nachman

The golden years were anything but golden for many during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We were scared, and we didn’t know what was what,” said Cynthia Baum-Baicker, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist with an office in Center City who has been in practice for more than 40 years.

“What was once safe was no longer safe,” she recalled. “We didn’t see our families. Our children. Everything changed. For people who are not technologically savvy we had to learn pretty quickly.”

People were frustrated, angry, depressed and scared to go to the doctor. The uncertainties the pandemic brought came in addition to the concerns older adults have around such issues as retirement, aging, fears of

“You saw people who had difficulty with family members who did not take the pandemic as seriously as their elder parents. Or the reverse. You had elder parents who weren’t taking it as seriously and you had their kids being really worried for them and about them and angry at them that they weren’t protecting themselves enough,” Baum-Baicker said.

The pandemic did bring certain positives to people’s lives, whether it was reconnecting with old friends, taking on new projects like cooking or having cocktails with friends over Zoom.

Baum-Baicker, 69, immersed herself in a project, creating a series of articles for “Psychology Today” on how to cope with COVID-19 and other stressful situations.

In one post, she noted that people can find refuge by immersing themselves in an artistic endeavor. “When engaged with art, we forget ourselves and, in a way, fuse with the art (music, a good book, visual art, theater, writing, etc.). Our attention is mostly consumed,”

Another post focused on strategies to overcome physical and psychological symptoms. Baum-Baicker wrote, “if you’re dealing with COVID-19 fatigue, focus on what you can do that’s novel to break up the feeling of unrelenting sameness. Someone who’s hyper focused on the negative could intervene by creating a list of what they’re grateful for.”

The winning ticket is not to turn fully away or deny negative emotion, but rather to allow for an “emotional blend,” she wrote. “This is termed ‘affect optimization’ and it means that while you acknowledge and allow for negative emotions (or negative affect), you also lean in on or gravitate toward positive emotions.”

Baum-Baicker noted a person’s physical environment shapes behavior and impacts their mood. “Consider looking around at your living space and imagining what you could change that might make you feel calmer or more buoyant to improve the physical environment,” Baum-Baicker suggested.

Tarragon Chicken with Asparagus, Lemon & Leeks Recipe

Ingredients:

2 lemons

¼ cup olive oil

4-6 garlic cloves, finely minced

2 tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

1 oz. fresh tarragon leaves, roughly chopped (about 1/4-1/3 cup)

1 extra-large bunch (about 1 ½ lbs.) asparagus, trimmed

1-2 large leeks, sliced into ½-inch thick rounds

4-5 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1-1 ½ lbs.)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425°.

In a small bowl, make the marinade. Place the zest of one lemon, and its juice (about 3 tablespoons) in a small bowl. Add oil, garlic, salt and pepper,

President Biden declared in a “60 Minutes” interview in September that the COVID-19 pandemic is over, saying, “We still have a problem with COVID. We’re still doing a lot of work on it. But the pandemic is over. If you notice, no one’s wearing masks. Everybody seems to be in pretty good shape, and so I think it’s changing.”

Baum-Baicker said people learned resilience during the height of the pandemic and she invoked philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche’s aphorism, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. After all, she said, it takes a certain degree of wisdom to accept one’s situation.

“I think we’ve all been through something,” Baum-Baicker said. “And while we might feel a little more down, we also learned during the pandemic, some coping. How to remain connected to people even when we couldn’t see them. How to find ways to be stimulated at home. If it happens again, I think when you live through something once, you know there’s more of a belief you can live through it again.” and mix well until salt dissolves. Add ½ of the tarragon, saving the rest for garnish.

Place trimmed asparagus in a bowl and spoon some of the marinade over the top. Toss to combine and place on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Add leeks to the same bowl, toss with a little marinade, and spread out on the sheet pan. Lastly, add the chicken breasts with the remaining marinade, coating well. Nestle the chicken amongst the asparagus.

Zest the second lemon over the whole sheet pan and slice the lemons into rounds, layering them over the asparagus. Place in the hot oven. Bake 15-20 minutes and check chicken (internal temp should read 160-165°) – thicker pieces will take longer. To get a more golden color, broil for just a couple of minutes.

Remove from the oven. Give everything a little toss, turning the chicken over to coat the top with the flavorful juices. Sprinkle with remaining fresh tarragon and serve.

Continued from page 12

Village, a community-based membership organization in central Philadelphia, is one example. It helps older adults to live independently in their homes. According to the Penn’s Village website, this is achieved: “by providing varying services and programs that increase social engagement through a network of volunteers.”

Jane Eleey, executive director of Penn’s Village, is in her 70s and intensely committed to this issue. “People they know move or pass away, or there may be health issues that make it hard to engage with the surrounding community,” she said. “Like with COVID, there may be new precautions in place, or perhaps anxiety that wasn’t there before. Their family may be far away, and travel may be difficult or impossible.”

Programs like those offered at Penn’s Village are designed specifically to deal with the rising issue of social isolation. Volunteer companions spend quality time with the members, who can request a variety of services from volunteers, such as taking them for walks, to the doctor or on trips to the grocery store, or just sitting, talking and enjoying each other’s company.

The system also helps the members connect with each other. “A member whose mobility is compromised reached out to us to arrange for additional companionship,” Eleey said. “We were able to connect him with a new member. She’s a bit quiet and reserved, but she needed help with technology, and he was able to advise. The two members now speak three times per week and receive great enjoyment and benefits from the relationship.”

For more information:

• The Sarah Ralston Foundation –215-386-2984 | SarahRalstonFoundation.org

• Penn’s Village – 215-925-7333 | PennsVillage.org

Support for LGBTQ+ elders

The William Way LGBT Community Center is a proud member of the SAGE Affiliates Network, a national network that links LGBTQ+ elders with vital services. The LGBT Elder Initiative (LGBTEI) @ William Way is focused on helping the community age successfully.

LGBTEI provides opportunities and programs for LGBTQ+ adults while building bridges with community organizations through “advocacy, information, education and referral,” according to the group’s website. The LGBTEI offers several recurring events for LGBTQ+ older adults, which are held in person at the William Way LGBT Community Center, 1315 Spruce St. in Philadelphia’s Gayborhood, or over Zoom. These events include:

• THRIVERS – A monthly discussion group for people impacted by HIV/AIDS that provides an outlet for people to support each other.

• Tuesday MorningsOut – This group for gay, bisexual and transgender men provides social outings, educational speakers and special events every Tuesday from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Call 215732-2220 or email MorningsOutWWCC@gmail.com for more information.

For more information about The LGBT Elder Initiative’s activities and to view a full event calendar, call 215-720-9415 or visit lgbtei.org.

WHEN: Thursday, June 29, 2023

WHERE: Online, link will be sent to you upon registration

TIME: 10 am –12 noon

REGISTER: Call 267-647-7173 or register online: jevshumanservices.org/event/job-seminar-2023/

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:

- How YOU can be successful in today’s job search and workplace

- Insider tips from HR recruiters on résumés, marketing your skills & more!

- Understanding age employment discrimination Plus,

Safely dispose of your unwanted medications

Cafe scene

Many people who misuse prescription drugs take them from medicine cabinets. Keeping unused opioids or other commonly misused drugs in a medicine cabinet is no longer safe or responsible. The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs is focused on alleviating the health and safety concerns from the diversion and abuse of prescription drugs by educating the public on the proper disposal of unused medications.

What you should do:

• Lock up all your medications.

• Keep them inaccessible to children.

• Personal information should be removed or marked out with a permanent marker.

• Dispose of prescription medicines in their original bottle or placed inside a small sealed container, such as a plastic bottle or zip-close bag.

• Safely dispose of unused or unwanted medications. When you pick up a prescription, ask your pharmacist for drug disposal pouches or find a drug take-back box. (See information below.)

What you should not do:

• Never share your medications with anyone.

• Do not take someone else’s medications.

• Do not keep medication within reach of children.

There are hundreds of drug take-back locations throughout the country where the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) will accept unused, expired, and/or unwanted medications, including vitamins; over-the-counter medicines; prescription pills, patches, and ointments; and pet medications. The following items are not accepted: hydrogen peroxide; compressed cylinders or aerosols, such as asthma inhalers; medications containing iodine; thermometers; alcohol; or illicit drugs, including marijuana, heroin or LSD.

To locate a collection site for safe disposal of unwanted medications, go to www.ddap.pa.gov or call 717-736-7495 for more information.

Source: The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs