14 | FEBRUARY 4 • 2021
and rules of the house but,
overall, there is a meaningful
upside to not being alone,
said Ronald E. Hormel, a psy-
chotherapist at Birmingham
Maple Clinic in Troy.
“We’re seeing now that a
social connection to fami-
ly and/or friends can be as
important to overall health as
a healthy diet and exercise,” he
said. “The mental and physical
results of loneliness play out
in real time. This can begin
with symptoms of anxiety
and depression, which can
result in a lowered immune
system and lead to a myriad
of additional, physical health
concerns such as hypertension
and autoimmune flare-ups.”
Hormel said when planning
to live with a family member,
pre-move guidelines are in
order. “
Address basic respon-
sibilities such as household
chores and bills,” he suggests.
“Will they be shared? Also
address the health concerns
such as who, if anyone, is
allowed to visit? Is a specif-
ic person leaving the home
for essentials? Will regular
COVID testing be a good
idea? It’s vital to discuss what
the boundaries would look
like,” Hormel said.
Young adults and singles
may be the largest group to
move in with family but indi-
viduals of all ages, including
seniors, are also part of this
new demographic.
In a reversal of many fami-
ly’s pandemic living arrange-
ments, this past March, Helen
Garden’s mom, Rena Berman,
moved in with Helen and her
husband, Jeff, when COVID
regulations at her Jewish
Senior Life apartment in West
Bloomfield barred visitors and
eliminated group meals and
activities.
“My mom lives at Meer
Apartments where they fol-
low CDC guidelines to keep
residents safe,” Garden said.
“When COVID numbers
started to go up [in Michigan],
we knew we wouldn’t be able
to see her, and she would be
isolated in her apartment.”
So, in late March, Berman
moved in with the Gardens
and shortly afterward was
able to share the Passover
holiday with them, along with
their son, Jason, who tested
negative for COVID and then
drove from Chicago to their
West Bloomfield home.
“While my mom was here,
I wanted to do things that
would keep her active and
as busy as possible, but away
from other people,” Garden
said.
“We exercised together in
the house, and we walked
a lot, and we drove a lot.
We walked at Kensington
Metropark. And we drove to
the old neighborhoods where
we once lived in Southfield
and Oak Park.”
And the two were able to
spend time just talking. “We
reminisced, talked about rel-
atives and told stories from
the past,” she said. “Jeff was
working from home every day,
but we all spent time together
in the evening, had dinner
together and then watched
movies.”
Berman moved back into
her apartment in July. Face-
masked visitors were eventu-
ally permitted but only in res-
idents’ units after completing
COVID questionnaires and
temperature checks.
Garden said she’s glad for
the time her mom spent in her
home. “I got to see her — and
she wasn’t alone.
“I was looking to entertain
her, but I was entertaining
myself too; being with her
kept me busy also.”
ON THE COVER
OUR COMMUNITY
“WE GOT
TO WATCH
MILESTONES
LIKE FIRST
WORDS,
CRAWLING,
FIRST STEPS
AND POTTY
TRAINING.”
— GRANDMOTHER
LEAH FOX
RIGHT: Jodi Fox McDonald and
Kemper McDonald with Paul and
Talia McDonald staying safely
distanced from Jodi’s sisters and
their families. In the yard are Lindsey
Fox and her children Nathan, 6, and
Caleb, 1; and Hallie and Ryan Jaffe
with Sloane, 13, and Brooke, 10, all of
West Bloomfield.
FACING PAGE: Jeff and Leah Fox
with granddaughters Talia and
Kemper McDonald.
continued from page 13