Juggling lost wages and children learning at home are not issues older Albertans are facing during the COVID-19 pandemic, but seniors have their share of challenges as well.
Turner Valley couple Murray and Sue Knowler spent the first months of the pandemic frightened of getting COVID-19 and struggling with isolation as they could no longer visit family and friends, or participate in their volunteer pursuits and clubs.
“The things we used to do, we just can’t do anymore,” said Murray. “I miss getting together with our friends. We used to get together once a week to play pool.”
For the first few months, the couple only visited the grocery store and post office.
Even those trips came with a lot of anxiety.
“We religiously washed our groceries for a couple of months,” said Murray. “After a while, we realized it was overkill. That’s not how this thing is going to spread.”
Sue could no longer meet with her quilting group in Okotoks after it shut down due to the pandemic.
“We watched a lot more TV and looked at our computers a lot more,” said Sue. “I was home all the time so I would just cook meals. I’m a home body anyway, but I do miss seeing my grandchildren. If we do, often it’s just standing on the sidewalk while they’re up on their front porch.”
Sue also kept busy during the colder months making face masks for Oilfields General Hospital staff and crafting as many as 40 quilts for charity while at home.
“We didn’t really socialize much at all,” she said. “It helps that we get along quite well. I have my quilting and sewing and Murray does little projects in the garage. We’re both fairly upbeat. We’ve got a lot to be grateful for.”
Murray keeps busy tackling projects around the house, making wooden toys for his grandchildren and neighbourhood children and driving for Meals on Wheels.
Together, the Knowlers garden, tackle yard work, participate in cooking classes via Zoom, play golf and walk.
“We just pretty much go along with the guidelines,” said Murray. “You have to listen to the experts in cases like this. We will go for a walk with a couple of friends outside and keep our distance. I consider that to be safe.”
The Knowlers continue to keep a close eye on the news to stay informed with the progress of the pandemic and the restrictions surrounding it.
“We watch the news more now than we used to because we’re trying to keep abreast of the latest announcements from the province,” said Murray. “I believe that the pandemic is real and that the protocols are there for a reason, for the most part.”
Armed with their first vaccine and awaiting their second, the Knowlers have been confronted with some opposition regarding their stance on protecting themselves from COVID-19.
“I’ve got a couple of friends I’m in contact with via social media who are not buying into the whole thing - they think the vaccine is not a good idea and it’s all overblown,” said Murray. “I’m constantly finding myself debating with them about how I feel about it, that we have to deal with it in the safest way that the experts tell us.”
Murray said the differing opinions have impacted some of the couple’s friendships.
“It gets to a point where you just go, these people are getting information from a totally different source and we just kind of grown part a little bit because of it,” he said.
Sue said it’s unfortunate.
“Certain people that I trusted their opinions before, now I second guess it,” she said. “It’s sad.”
But the Knowlers see a light at the end of the tunnel as more than 68 per cent of eligible Albertans have received their first needle and the Province has relaxed some of the restrictions.
“You can see the numbers are going down because vaccinations are going up,” said Murray. “By the end of summer, for sure, we should have some semblance of normalcy here. It’s just a matter of time.”
