it would be “perfectly appropriate” to move loved ones out of such locations to maintain their health.But beyond maintaining the physical well-being of its inhabitants, MPTF has also been particularly concerned about residents’ mental health. Which is why, shortly after the campus went into lockdown, Jennifer Clymer — who runs Channel 22 — suggested using the television station as a way to forge ongoing social connections.
“My question was, if we have to make sure people are physically distancing, how do we make sure they are still socially connecting?” Clymer recalled.
Jennifer Clymer, Channel 22’s supervisor, tries on a prom dress to amuse MPTF residents - one of the channel’s engagement activities. To keep his mind active, Northup decided to create another poetry segment from home. He selected 15 of Robert Frost’s poems, wrote up a quick biography of the poet and teamed with another actor on campus, Brett Hadley, to appear with him on the broadcast.
“In the long term, we know that people who are chronically isolated have higher stress responses, more inflammation, higher blood pressures and even premature death,” Kaiser explained. “But when it comes to older people, those particular impacts are just more significant and the stakes are a lot higher.”Sandy Bollinger, 77, has come to rely heavily on MPTF’s social community.