During the pandemic I would stay in touch with my grandparents regularly.  This was done through phone calls and zoom.  We would talk about what was happening in the news, what we did each day, and how we were adjusting to this new way of life.  My grandparents talked about how they would attend virtual mass, play with their cat, listen to music, and spend time watching TV to keep busy.  And despite the fear of COVID-19, my grandparents said it was nice to have the extra time to talk and connect with each other.  This was one of the few positives to come out of the pandemic.  However, I found my grandparents to be mostly stressed during the pandemic.  With my grandfather being a diabetic, this made them even more nervous about the virus.  They were always on high alert and followed protocols strictly when traveling anywhere.  Additionally, with no family visiting for holidays anymore, you could tell that it took a toll on them mentally.

I was surprised to learn more about older adults and their resilience with age.  However, this made sense the more I learned about it.  With a lifetime of experiences and hardships, it is no surprise that most of these older adults have found ways to cope with their stresses.  Also, during these times, they were given the opportunity to learn how to use new technologies such as zoom.  With this new sense of accomplishment, it had a positive impact on their mental wellbeing.  This changed my perspective on the older population, and it reminded me to reserve my judgement when working with this population.  They are more resilient that you may think.