“Their concern and care for us, makes us feel we are not alone”
Mrs. Noufah Al-Zoubi, 60, from Jordan
Mrs. Noufa Al-Zoubi, 60 years old, from Al-Dalil area, in the north-east of Zarqa Governorate, says: Coronavirus is the topic of concern for everyone , it is on every TV and radio channel, and the hot topic of the community. The coronavirus affected our life directly. I, myself, have been living in social isolation. I am alone and no one visits me because of the quarantine, which really affectes my psychological state.
She added: The negative impact of these circumstances that she lives-in did not stop at the psychological side, but affected the health side, on one hand she needs some necessary medical drugs such as joint treatment that may not be available, and on the other hand she is afraid of the lack of health care when she need it, saying: "If I do not takemy medicine I can’t walk.”
“The situation of older people is like all of the people around us, we live in an atmosphere of anxiety and tension due to the strict government procedures and the warnings we hear about the spread of Coronavirus and the damage it causes, but the degree of the anxiety we live in may be larger than others because we hear that the older people are at greater risk than others of this virus. And anxiety and fear increase further upon hearing news and what the media reports about the large and continuous increase in the number of people infected and deaths in neighboring countries and around the world in general.
Despite all this, I believe that the government, the local community, and the concerned authorities are doing their best to support the older people and stand by them, as I myself got a lot of support from the municipality, such as providing bread, water, and I also received various types of support from my the local community patrons and some medicine support from pharmacies and volunteer doctors.
I would like to mention the great support provided by HelpAge International, as they are in continuous contact with us by providing the necessary information and referring our cases with stakeholders who providing various services to us. HelpAge has provided awareness materials related to Coronavirus and conducted many comprehensive awareness sessions prior to the quarantine. After the quarantine, they have continued to be active and raise awareness through social media and continuous phone calls to this day to check on our conditions and confirm public safety measures and provide us with all new awareness about the dangers of this virus and how to protect and prevent it. HelpAge’s volunteers have visited us in our homes and conducted a survey to assess the general situation/needs of the older people, and have followed up with solutions through referrals and communication. In all honesty I say: "Their concern and care for us, makes us feel we are not alone.”
I hope that this sorrow will be gone soon, return to our normal life, and the world always pay more attention and care for the older people in times of crisis and , to ensure a decent life for them.
