Elderly make do during virus isolation
For many at the Reminiscencias home for the elderly, the pandemic has been 15 months of isolation from those they love — of children kept at a distance, of human touch always at least a layer of plastic away.
Victor Tripiana, 86, reaches out to touch the hand of his daughter-in-law Silvia Fernandez Sotto, separated by a plastic sheet to prevent the spread of COVID- 19 at the Reminiscencias residence for the elderly in Tandil, Argentina, Sunday, April 4, 2021. Residents here do not have physical contact with their families or leave the residence due to the pandemic, but stay active with group activities within the facility. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Nurse Rocio Lescano, 86, helps Victor Tripiana in his chair in front of a window where he visits with his family on the other side, at the Reminiscencias residence in Tandil, Argentina, Sunday, April 4, 2021. Residents here do not have physical contact with their families or leave the residence due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but stay active with group activities within the facility. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Seniors, from left, Victor Tripiana, Catalina Pisicelli, Pedro Aberastegui and Fermin Urban make a toast before dinner at Reminiscencias residence in Tandil, Argentina, Sunday, April 4, 2021. Residents here do not have physical contact with their families or leave the residence due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but stay active with group activities within the facility. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Pedro Aberastegui holds hands with fellow senior resident Catalina Pisicelli as they sing the Argentine national anthem before dinner at Reminiscencias residence in Tandil, Argentina, Sunday, April 4, 2021. Residents here do not have physical contact with their families or leave the residence due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but stay active with group activities within the facility. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Nurse Rocio Lescano embraces and gives a kiss on the cheek to Victor Tripiana, 86, as he sits on the other side of a plastic sheet used by elderly residents during visits by family members amid the new coronavirus pandemic at the Reminiscencias residence in Tandil, Argentina, Sunday, April 4, 2021. Residents here do not have physical contact with their families or leave the residence due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but stay active with group activities within the facility. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Elderly women rest at a table during a pause between activities at the Reminiscencias residence for the elderly in Tandil, Argentina, Sunday, April 4, 2021. Residents here do not have physical contact with their families or leave the residence due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but stay active with group activities within the facility. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Fermin Urban and Catalina Pisicelli lie in bed in their room at the Reminiscencias residence, where they met last year in Tandil, Argentina, Sunday, April 4, 2021. Residents here do not have physical contact with their families or leave the residence due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Delia Solbach heads to bed at the Reminiscencias residence in Tandil, Argentina, Sunday, April 4, 2021. Residents here do not have physical contact with their families or leave the residence due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but stay active with group activities within the facility. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Victor Tripiana, left, Catalina Pisicelli, center, and Pedro Aberastegui hold hands as they listen to music before dinner at the Reminiscencias residence for the elderly in Tandil, Argentina, Sunday, April 4, 2021. Residents here do not have physical contact with their families or leave the residence due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but stay active with group activities within the facility. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Victor Tripiana, 86, is put to bed by a nurse at the Reminiscencias residence for the elderly in Tandil, Argentina, Sunday, April 4, 2021. Residents here do not have physical contact with their families or leave the residence due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but stay active with group activities within the facility. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Delia Solbach attends an exercise class at the Reminiscencias residence for the elderly in Tandil, Argentina, Monday, April 5, 2021. Residents here do not have physical contact with their families or leave the residence due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but stay active with group activities within the facility. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Delia Solbach holds up a ball during an exercise class at the Reminiscencias residence for the elderly in Tandil, Argentina, Monday, April 5, 2021. Residents here do not have physical contact with their families or leave the residence due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but stay active with group activities within the facility. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Belen Corrado leads an exercise class at Reminiscencias residence in Tandil, Argentina, Monday, April 5, 2021. Residents here do not have physical contact with their families or leave the residence due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but stay active with group activities within the facility. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Thelma Amezua sits in the garden at the Reminiscencias residence for the elderly in Tandil, Argentina, Monday, April 5, 2021. Residents here do not have physical contact with their families or leave the residence due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but stay active with group activities within the facility. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Fermin Urban holds a ball as he attends an exercise class at the Reminiscencias residence for the elderly in Tandil, Argentina, Monday, April 5, 2021. Residents here do not have physical contact with their families or leave the residence due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but stay active with group activities within the facility. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Nurse Rocio Lescano feeds Dora Amestoy her breakfast at the Reminiscencias residence for the elderly in Tandil, Argentina, Monday, April 5, 2021. Residents here do not have physical contact with their families or leave the residence due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but stay active with group activities within the facility. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Women take an exercise class at the Reminiscencias residence for the elderly in Tandil, Argentina, Monday, April 5, 2021. Residents here do not have physical contact with their families or leave the residence due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but stay active with group activities within the facility. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Virginia Sayaguez attends an exercise class at the Reminiscencias residence for the elderly in Tandil, Argentina, Monday, April 5, 2021. Residents here do not have physical contact with their families or leave the residence due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but stay active with group activities within the facility. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Delia Solbach attends an exercise class at the Reminiscencias residence for the elderly in Tandil, Argentina, Monday, April 5, 2021. Residents here do not have physical contact with their families or leave the residence due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but stay active with group activities within the facility. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Nurse Rocio Lescano touches foreheads with Victor Tripiana, 86, at the Reminiscencias residence for the elderly in Tandil, Argentina, Monday, April 5, 2021. Residents here do not have physical contact with their families or leave the residence due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but stay active with group activities within the facility. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Arceli Armando watches her son wave to her from outside of the Reminiscencias residence for the elderly where she lives in Tandil, Argentina, Monday, April 5, 2021. Residents here do not have physical contact with their families or leave the residence due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but stay active with group activities within the facility. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Men visit their mothers living at the Reminiscencias residence for the elderly in Tandil, Argentina, Monday, April 5, 2021. Residents here do not have physical contact with their families or leave the residence due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but stay active with group activities within the facility. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Ramiro Pisani holds the hands of his grandfather Pedro Aberastegui through a plastic sleeve from outside the Reminiscencias residence for the elderly in Tandil, Argentina, Monday, April 5, 2021. Residents here do not have physical contact with their families or leave the residence due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but stay active with group activities within the facility. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Debora Aberastegui holds the hands of her father Pedro Aberastegui through a plastic sleeve at the Reminiscencias residence for the elderly in Tandil, Argentina, Monday, April 5, 2021. Residents here do not have physical contact with their families or leave the residence due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but stay active with group activities within the facility. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
A woman eats lunch at the Reminiscencias residence for the elderly in Tandil, Argentina, Monday, April 5, 2021. Residents here do not have physical contact with their families or leave the residence due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but stay active with group activities within the facility. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Fermin Urban, left, Victor Tripiana, center, and Pedro Aberastegui rest during a break between activities at the Reminiscencias residence for the elderly in Tandil, Argentina, Monday, April 5, 2021. Residents here do not have physical contact with their families or leave the residence due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but stay active with group activities within the facility. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
A worker builds a see-through barrier that will have sleeves for hugging at the Reminiscencias residence for the elderly in Tandil, Argentina, Monday, April 5, 2021. Residents here do not have physical contact with their families or leave the residence due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but stay active with group activities within the facility. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Women sit together at the Reminiscencias residence for the elderly in Tandil, Argentina, Monday, April 5, 2021. Residents here do not have physical contact with their families or leave the residence due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but stay active with group activities within the facility. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
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