During the pandemic, I worked in both a long-term care facility and in home-hospice care. While providing care for the clients, I had many conversations with them. Clients that were on hospice and living at home during the pandemic experienced loneliness that was deeper than ever. Many clients that are on hospice are immunocompromised due to various conditions and medications, so it was common for them to refuse visitors except for caregivers. I found that I was the only other human being they saw all day, so it was important for me to provide that human interaction that they craved. I would do activities with the ones that wished to, like puzzles and knitting. Some clients just wanted to talk about their lives and their families, so I would sit and listen. Many voiced their stresses with the pandemic and the impact it has had on their mental health as well as their physical health. I was not expecting the levels of stress many of them experienced, because I did not put myself in their shoes. After hearing a lot of my clients tell me how hard the pandemic affected them, I began feeling even more empathetic to their situations.

After viewing the CECE event, the biggest takeaway I had was that adults that are 70 and older have the highest rate of suicide. The elderly are an often overlooked population, and this suicide statistic is something that deserves attention. Suicide is preventable, but many do not have the support and resources to receive help. Using this knowledge, I believe that nurses can make a difference in our elderly client’s lives. Having conversations with them, reaching out and letting them know you support them, and helping them to find resources are all things that I as a nurse could do to promote my client’s well-being. Before working in hospice, I thought aging was something that happened while being surrounded by loved ones. I have found, especially during the pandemic, that this is not always true. Aging can be very lonely and even stressful for some. I hope in the future, people will begin to realize the realities of aging and the loneliness that comes with it, so this group can get the support they need.