"COVID, the Holidays, Hoping and Coping"

Spiritual and mental health professionals discuss the challenges the coronavirus pandemic is posing during the 2020 holiday season, particularly to students and the elderly. They also offer ways to deal with  the COVID/holiday stress combo. 

Guests:

• Bill Purcell, a church pastor, consultant and a chaplain to nursing home residents and terminally ill patients, discusses the effects of COVID-19 on his ministry. He addresses other issues, including ways to stay in contact with elderly loved ones during the pandemic.
• Lindsey Hash, who leads the Senior Life Solutions program at Excelsior Springs Hospital, discusses the effects of the holidays and COVID-19 on seniors' mental health and the importance of staying physically active.
• Jordyn Chari and Hannah Archer, who work with students through Tri-County Mental Health Services, discuss the effects of COVID-19 on students and their families during the holidays, and offer coping strategies.  

Notes:

• For more information about the Senior Life Solutions program at Excelsior Springs Hospital, call (816) 629-2724. 
• During a portion of her interview that was cut from the episode, Lindsey Hash pointed out that Richmond has a Senior Life Solutions program. The program is based at Ray County Memorial Hospital. For more information, call (816) 470-7360. 
• Jordyn Chari stated in a Dec. 7 email that Tri-County provides " a variety of services to help with individuals struggling with mental health concerns on an ongoing basis." They include counseling for families and individuals, and round-the-clock crisis intervention. To request services or for more information, call (816) 468-0400 or visit www.tri-countymhs.org. For assistance with a crisis after 5 p.m. weekdays and on weekends, call 1-(888)-279-8188. 
• Music featured in this episode: "Silent Night," melody composed Franz Xaver Gruber; "Greensleeves" (also the melody for "What Child Is This?"), traditional; "Picardy" (also the melody for "Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence"), traditional;  "Mother Mary's Minuet in F Major," composed by Shawn Roney; "Auld Lang Syne," traditional. All selections arranged by Shawn Roney, and performed by Sacred and Secular.