86-Year-Old Therapist Shares 5 Tips to Help Seniors Endure Pandemic Loneliness

Katharine Esty, an 86-year-old psychotherapist, offers five tips to help seniors cope with loneliness while isolated during the COVID-19 pandemic, reports the Today Show . Her first recommendation is to stick to a routine. Esty herself begins each day with stretches and other exercise, then holds a virtual meeting with friends or professional colleagues on her computer. She also writes a blog, meditates, counsels patients, and spends time with her partner. Esty's second recommendation is to reach out to others by Zoom, phone calls, or other available means. Her third tip is to try new things, suggesting hobbies like genealogy, photography, political activism, and virtual museum tours. A fourth suggestion is to adopt a pet if the senior's circumstances allow. Her fifth and final recommendation is to take advantage of a calmer mental state often induced by aging.