Bedford feels like a ghost town – which is a good thing. There are only 20 confirmed cases of Covid-19, according to the most recent report relayed by town officials from the state.
But there is also a price to pay for many people engaged in disciplined social distancing and disconnection from normal activities, events, and culture.
Professionals in government and private practice who are trained to address issues like isolation, insecurity and information overload have a handle on who is most vulnerable, and what steps can be taken to mitigate the mental health impact.
“People are feeling between things, not really anywhere. People are finding it very hard to stay grounded; there’s a fear of uncertainty,” said Frances Bigda-Peyton, a psychologist and psychoanalyst in private practice for more than 35 years.
Isolation can be challenging even in normal times. But now, even “living with people can create its own tension,” Bigda-Peyton pointed out.
She emphasized that residents relatively unscathed physically by the pandemic can find inspiration by “doing positive things, doing things for others.” This is apparent by the phenomenon of making masks at home for those in health care. She said donations to agencies and organizations are an easy way for many households to have a positive impact.,
“The biggest kind of loneliness is filling your own time,” she continued. “A lot of nice stuff is going on – people are meditating, getting out in nature. But it’s a hard time for people with anxiety disorders and medical disorders.”
Christopher Bang, the Health and Human Services Department’s community social worker since November, noted that “Bedford really has a focus on human services and the well-being of the residents.”
“It is important that people maintain a sense of connection in their lives,” he asserted. “The town social workers are definitely here to reach out and connect with them.”
“The nature of my work has shifted,” Bang acknowledged. His major focus has been the weekly food bank. “Food insecurity is a major focus, especially for people who don’t have the ability to transport to the grocery store. We have been doing home deliveries – and that’s also a way to check in with individuals.”
“It’s great that the town is providing food for folks on Fridays,” said Sue Baldauf, who retired in 2019 after many years leading the Youth and Family Services office in town government. “It’s hard to eat nutritious food if people are anxious to go to the store.”
Baldauf noted that basic wellness advice should not be compromised by the crisis: “Eating healthy. Getting enough sleep. Taking a break from the news. Trying to get outside. Exercise.”
Bang encouraged residents to “be mindful of the individual. If you have elderly neighbors, you can give them a call or, using appropriate distancing techniques, check in with them. Be mindful of those on your neighborhood with whom you typically interact, especially people whom you know have mental health conditions.”
“It’s a challenge identifying where all the vulnerable people are,” he acknowledged. “Everything has shifted from in-person interactions. Everything is happening through technology, and not everyone has Internet access. We have been doing check-in calls and people can call in.”
“It can be very isolating when folks don’t have families,” Bigda-Peyton said, adding, “When you don’t have a family you have to build a family.” One way I through videoconferencing platforms. “People in their 70s and 80s are learning new technologies,” she said.
She suggested that “people have to limit the amount of information they receive. It can generate a lot of really intense fear.”
Bang emphasized that the department still has “the mental health counseling that we typically offer, through telehealth. There are open slots, and there’s no co-pay for Bedford residents.” He referred everyone to the Health and Human Services website.
The Bedford Council on Aging, also under the Health and Human Services umbrella, disseminated a range of helpful information in its April newsletter, said Allison Cservenschi, director.
The printed newsletter is the council’s broadest communication vehicle, Cservenschi said, and when the severity of the situation began to unfold, and it became apparent that the council facilities would have to close, the April issue became a top priority. “We did it as a staff, folding and processing,” she related.
“There’s a lot in there about keeping in touch with each other,” she said. “We added a lot of extra things like recipes and poems and word searches and tips and exercises and how to keep yourself well and make an emergency kit. We thought about people being at home.” There is even a two-page spread on chair exercises for seniors.
“People who have never reached out to us before are reaching out to us now,” Cservenschi continued. Danika Castle, the council social worker, “is on the phone Monday through Friday, and receiving calls throughout the day. We encourage people to call each other and I think it’s happening. Neighbors have been checking in with each other.”
“People are even asking to volunteer. It’s great to be part of a small town where people know each other.” She added that “we also keep in touch with the police station as ‘boots on the ground’ if there’s anybody we are concerned about.”
There are a number of social subgroups under the Council on Aging umbrella, and Cservenschi said she has seen online activity sustaining them. “One of the writing groups is doing Zoom meetings,” she said of the newly ubiquitous video conferencing platform. “Also the sing-along group. The pickleball has been emailing with each other and calling.”
She outlined the many services and resources that remain available. Eliot Community Health Services offers telehealth counseling, and “those are the people we worry about the most. We are still able to get people to medical appointments through Wheels of Life. Minuteman Senior Services is maintaining meals on wheels for the most vulnerable people. The Neighbor Brigade is another arm of the community.”
Baldauf, a social worker, agreed that there’s great value in checking in with vulnerable people – “calling, emailing, hand-writing notes. Stay in touch. Showing your care and your love is really helpful. Stay connected in whatever way you can.”
“The people who are working in grocery stores are also in the front lines,” she continued. “There are folks who live closer to the bone and I worry about those folks. And I feel for people who have ongoing issues because it’s tough to find a meeting to go to.” She mentioned national helplines for domestic violence (800-799-7233 and 600-985-5990.)
Baldauf is certain that society post-pandemic will be different – and she hopes in a positive way. “How can we make things more equitable going forward? I hope there are people thinking about that. And how we can make it easier to vote.”
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