COVID-19 Resources

COVID-19 means no hugs for grandma and grandpa as grandparents across the country are currently “grounded” from seeing their grandchildren who may be so near yet so far. Safety means separation for grandparents, which goes against all our ideas of togetherness and contact with our grandchildren.

The serious and life-threatening illness of a teacher always shocks a community. Most people feel a mix of disbelief and profound sorrow. How could this happen, we wonder. It’s so unfair. And adults feel concern for children. Parents and teachers want to be helpful, but also have to manage their own reactions. They may find themselves remembering other traumatic illnesses among family and friends. They worry about saying too much or too little, about not having enough information, about saying the wrong thing.

We are currently experiencing a profound health crisis stemming from COVID-19 that will touch the lives of every person in our community. Social isolation and limitations on visitors to hospitals leaves the community with new challenges for grieving loved ones lost to COVID-19 or other losses unrelated to, but complicated by, the pandemic.

Family members are often the primary providers of care to those who have been diagnosed with COVID-19. When a family member has COVID-19, all aspects of the logistical and emotional fabric of family life are impacted. Caring for those with the virus is complex; it comes with unique joys and stresses.

COVID-19 is creating new parenting challenges. It can be hard to know how to best support your teens as their school, college, and social plans are disrupted in unprecedented ways.

Families are grieving the loss of important milestones and rites of passage. Children may be withdrawn, angry, anxious, frustrated, or difficult to connect with. Your teen may feel that their emerging sense of independence is being taken away. The uncertainty of the situation makes it especially difficult to make big decisions about the future.

No one welcomes a diagnosis of COVID-19. Coping with a novel and unpredictable illness is a profound challenge. The illness can take many courses, some involving acute care, ongoing ICU needs, and a risk of fatality. The majority of COVID-19 patients will at very least need to self- quarantine, which creates isolation from family and friends at a particularly vulnerable and worrisome time. These tips can help with the mental health challenges of the disease:

We are currently experiencing a profound health crisis stemming from COVID-19 that will touch the lives of every person in our community. Anxiety and stress levels may well be higher than usual as individuals and families face new challenges in domestic life, work, and relationships.