PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — This year has been a lonely one for many Americans, as a lot remains to be known about the long-term effects of the coronavirus.
With many of us staying close to home, socially distancing from friends and family, it can be isolating and frightening.
Gina Pimentel, manager of social work at Virtua Health, said a new COVID-19 patient support group connects people when they need it the most.
“People don’t know what to expect. They don’t know who to talk to or how to talk about it,” she said. “So now, this is an opportunity for people to come together with others that have had the same experience and share what they’ve learned and what they’re struggling with, and really get that sense of empathy and understanding from others who have faced it, as well as our social work team.”
The support group is all online and free to anyone, but especially people who currently have COVID-19 or who already recovered.
“It is a Zoom call, and we started a Facebook group,” Pimentel said. “Anyone who registers for the Zoom call will also be given a link for a closed Facebook group, where in between sessions, the group can interact with the social work team, from the integrated (network) as well as with each other.”
The next group sessions take place on Dec. 14 and 28 from 7 to 8 p.m. To register, email ACSupport@virtua.org.