Checking In With Seniors at The Watermark During COVID-19

When COVID-19 put the world on hold, Nancy Steingard was no longer able to see her mother-in-law, Marilyn Solomon, in her senior living community. 

“She was extremely isolated and our family could not visit her,” said Steingard. “Once we were able to visit, it was only through a glass window, and meanwhile, her dementia was progressing.”

Then, five months ago, the family moved Solomon to The Watermark at Westwood Village. There, she could participate in its memory care program and go to happy hours with other members, take art classes, dance and exercise. 

“Marilyn actually leads a geography class,” said Steingard. “She is a retired teacher and enjoys being engaged and social.”

The pandemic has been especially hard on the senior population, who are most vulnerable to the disease. According to a 2018 study, people who are socially isolated are at an increased risk of cognitive decline, dementia and depression. Another study published in August 2021 in the International Journal of Psychiatry in Clinical Practice found that people who are socially isolated and lonely for prolonged periods of times have about a 49% to 60% higher risk of developing dementia. 

The main reason that 90-year-old Meyer Grabar moved to The Watermark from New York was because he felt isolated and didn’t have a support system. 

“I wanted to be closer to my family, especially my daughters,” he said. “They visit me here. I have three grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.” 

Grabar said that COVID-19 changed his way of life. When he was in New York, his son used to live close by, in New York City, but he moved away to the countryside during the pandemic. 

“[I was not able] to go to dinners. My daughter was in Paris and she was supposed to come back home in two months, but was stuck isolating for six months in Paris due to the virus. There were no planes available. I didn’t have any family or visitors around for a long time, so I was feeling isolated.”

Now, though, he’s able to be with his family again and has access to social activities. For his 90th birthday, he went to a Dodgers/Mets game, and he regularly attends happy hours to “enjoy conversation with the other members, and we listen to the various entertainers,” he said. “I also like catching some quiet time in the sun in the courtyard. It has a great ambiance and I like spending some afternoons out there.”

The Watermark in Westwood Village has 188 residences, and most of the people living there are between the ages of 70 and 85, with about 75% of them being Jewish. Though it has many other locations throughout California and the U.S., the Westwood campus has only been open since this past May. In that time, to keep seniors safe, it has implemented screening and temperature checks for visitors and followed all federal and state laws for guidance on masking, sanitizing and social distancing.

Watermark created amazing opportunities for people to connect and stay active and engaged despite the restrictions.

“Watermark also discovered early on in the pandemic that keeping residents safe wasn’t its only challenge; it needed to keep residents well by providing outlets to keep residents engaged – sometimes through outdoor activities and also through virtual programming,” said Executive Director Patrick Raab. “The most difficult aspect of COVID restrictions was the resulting isolation of residents from each other and their families. Watermark created amazing opportunities for people to connect and stay active and engaged despite the restrictions that were imposed by state and local health departments.”

Steingard is certainly pleased with her mother-in-law’s new situation. Now, she’s just hoping that the situation improves and life can get better again for everyone. 

“I hope it becomes a manageable virus, especially for the elderly and vulnerable population,” she said. “The world needs to get vaccinated, and we need to find something treatable for the virus.”