a fate worse than death

At a time in our lives when we long term residents of aged care facilities, especially the widowed, male and female, need more, not less, TLC. Instead, we are saddled with lockdown of indeterminate duration which bans all visitors including family. When my son calls to deliver my weekly needs we cannot commune within 1500mm, he must call a staff member to make the delivery. With my hearing impairment, however, I can’t hear him at that distance. People whose hearing is no worse than “a little hard of hearing” are unable to understand my predicament. That would apply, no doubt, to all people involved in setting up this stand apart edict.

I am not surprised, therefore, to read Brenda Lee’s contribution to “Opinion” (Sunday Herald Sun April 19) that suicide among the elderly under this enforced “voluntary isolation” might escalate. It would not surprise me if there are many of us in the above category who would prefer death by any means than a continuation of the present isolation which is, in reality, a fate worse than death.

Yours truly

Ron Fischer