Beth Herold is very concerned about the emotional well-being of the seniors throughout the county who are alone, frightened and yearning to see their loved ones during the pandemic.

“They're missing things that are just so precious to them and sometimes the only things they have, in their view,” said Herold, who is the director of the county Area Agency on Aging.

Herold has been delivering meals to the eight private senior living facilities overseen by her agency, and sometimes she is the only face seniors have talked to since a statewide stay-at-home order started April 1.

“One person was teary-eyed,” Herold said. “Her granddaughter is graduating from high school and her grandson from law school, and she's missing these things.”

She said another senior's granddaughter is expecting. “She's not sure if she'll ever see the baby,” Herold said.

Herold, who is a nurse, said the masks and social distancing required when she delivers meals are almost as hard on her as it is on the seniors.

“I want to hug them and let them know we understand,” she said. “And do you know how hard it is for some of these people to hear us with a mask on?”

Herold said many seniors are also missing church services and activities.

“For some of them, that's been their whole life,” she said. “It's all of those things that are impacting them.”

Herold worries about the possible outcomes for seniors should they continue to be prevented from engaging in their normal activities and seeing their families.

“There's no data to support it, but I'm afraid the senior suicide rate is going to go up,” she said. “Social isolation can lead to increased depression.”

She encourages everyone who knows an isolated senior to call them on the phone, drop a card, send a treat or reach out in any way that follows social distancing protocols.

“Let them know we haven't forgotten about them and they're still part of society,” Herold said.

Robert Torres, the state Secretary at the Department of Aging, said during a recent teleconference on seniors that social isolation is a big concern of his during the pandemic. He said the department is working with various universities regarding social isolation among seniors to create pandemic policies for the future.