After working in a nursing home with a #COVID outbreak in Northern New Brunswick for the past month I can finally say that actually, I do have a preferred nostril for swabbing, thank you very much. // Thread to follow (1/6)

In more important news, it was a challenging, incredible experience and I was fortunate to meet some truly wonderful folks. The residents of the home were completely hilarious, even under such difficult circumstances, and they each taught me many new things. (2/6)

Although it has been great to see the outbreak subside over the last few weeks, sadly the home lost two of their residents because of the virus. My heart goes out to their families and I am so sorry for their immense loss. (3/6)

With every headline about opening restaurants, bars, & gyms, I think about the lovely people that I met in the home. I have so many questions... How much longer will older folks in our nursing homes endure restrictions that prevent them from seeing their families? (4/6)

How much longer will they have to eat alone in their rooms, away from friends? What privileges are we increasingly offering to some folks in our communities at the expense of others? Who is being left out of our decision making right now, and what are the reasons for this? (5/6)

While these issues are complicated, I keep coming back to a 2016 talk by @picardonhealth on the isolation/loneliness that many older folks face in our societies.

https://thewalrus.ca/loneliness-is-the-greatest-poverty/#.Xw2vRfIVTw0.twitter

What sense of belonging are we offering to our elderly community members right now? (6/6)