Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive.
~ Dalai Lama

Are the people in care homes killed by COVID-19 or loneliness? I’ll tell you the story of my best friend who had a cancer but died from loneliness.

The kindest woman in the world had it all – friends, boyfriend, loving family and interesting job which she loved. One day she got severely sick. She had a cancer. Her spirit didn’t crush. People who loved here were there with her and she became well quite soon. One day she went to protest against destroying nature and had a cold. The cancer came back. But this time her boyfriend and friends where nowhere to be found. Her boyfriend wanted a woman who can give him kids. My friend couldn’t because of the cancer therapy. He didn’t say a word. He just stopped visiting and calling. Friends became too busy. Thirties is a time for family and demanding jobs. I was the the fewer who kept in touch but lived abroad. Phone calls and online chat couldn’t replace the human touch. We aren’t algorithms. I begged the friends living there: “Please, please she is fading away! Visit her. Take her out!!! Please!!!!” They said “okay” but didn’t do it. Things got worse. She couldn’t even get off her bed. One dark December evening a got a text: “It is so cold… I’m so lonely and scared…” It was quite late so I didn’t call back just texted: “You aren’t alone. You will be okay soon. I’ll talk to you tomorrow!” Next day I had a message but from another friend: “I have a bad news. She is gone. You were right. We should gave tried harder to keep her here.“ We betrayed her! She didn’t die from the cancer but from loneliness. Her sister had two little kids and demanding job. Her father was old and taking care of another sick relative. Friends were gone. She responded so well to the treatment but she needed more – something to keep her alive. She just lost the desire to live. Loneliness succumbed the life from the kindest and most cheerful woman on Earth. My phone calls and online chats couldn’t replace the real human touch.

It is what happens now with the elders in care homes or the ones living alone. They are succumbed not by the virus but loneliness. We are social animals. We can’t live without other humans. Our mind has an enormous power but when old or sick if we are left without human touch it just shuts down.

What is happening now with COVID-19 is inhuman! Viruses can’t be eliminated by imprisoning everyone. COVID-19 survival rate is much higher even among old people if estimated correctly. Humanity survived many plagues but the lack of humanity will kill us all. Even the rich and untouchable. We can’t escape our nature!

When you see the propaganda Stay Home! Save Lives. Think again. And of course is not only the loneliness but immunity which gets weaker when isolated. I speak about it here.

You don’t help other humans when acting inhuman. You are participating in killing what makes us human!

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