It is important to acknowledge the difficulties many people had prior to the pandemic and how it made their situation much worse. One Stockport resident, Janet El-Mikatti, contacted us to share their experience of the initial lockdown. Janet explains: “I am a 72 year old parent of a young man aged 36 with learning difficulties, hyperactivity and autism who is very sociable but very set to routines and the certainties of life. Before the lockdown he had a little office job 2 days a week and went to the day centre 3 days. Every evening I took him out to an activity, disco, swimming, piano lesson, trampoline, gym, Walking and disabled bikes at the weekends. He was friendly with everyone and always chatty. Overnight everything was taken away from him. He was stuck at home with 2 ageing parents. He is unable to stay on his own or go out alone. Week after week with only local walks. Colleagues kept in touch by email but he refused any video contacts. He became increasingly agitated and asked endless questions about when things would return that I couldn’t answer. It is a desperate situation as a mother when you can’t help your children”. In February 2021 Janet had the Covid-19 vaccine which gave the family more hope.
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