A PARALLEL WORLD

during the covid-19 pandemic

This nursing home is located in a small village called Pousa, in Barcelos Portugal.

It has 36 residents and was also attacked by the covid19. Like many other nursing homes, this one has also cut off all outside activities for the residents, protecting them in the new inner dome. At the same time, it has forbidden contact with relatives (there are still visitors, but they stay outside the mute windows). How to reconcile the care of the people and the safety of each one? How to maintain the link and avoid seeing the residents sink and die, not from the coronavirus but from loneliness? This work was conducted in the middle of the covid 19 pandemic, in July 2021.

When you enter in the nursing home, it is as if you enter a parallel world. Small spaces are created and their life adapts to them, a space to pray, a social space where they can talk about the news they watch on TV, as well as a small corner to play dominoes and cards. Most of the people who come to the retirement home are in some way alone, because they have lost their wives or husbands and their families are too far away or too busy to provide the necessary care, and it’s not always for lack of love, but because society forces us to work long hours and we don’t have time to dedicate to them.

This nursing home is located in a small village called Pousa, in Barcelos Portugal.

It has 36 residents and was also attacked by the covid19. Like many other nursing homes, this one has also cut off all outside activities for the residents, protecting them in the new inner dome. At the same time, it has forbidden contact with relatives (there are still visitors, but they stay outside the mute windows). How to reconcile the care of the people and the safety of each one? How to maintain the link and avoid seeing the residents sink and die, not from the coronavirus but from loneliness? This work was conducted in the middle of the covid 19 pandemic, in July 2021.

When you enter in the nursing home, it is as if you enter a parallel world. Small spaces are created and their life adapts to them, a space to pray, a social space where they can talk about the news they watch on TV, as well as a small corner to play dominoes and cards. Most of the people who come to the retirement home are in some way alone, because they have lost their wives or husbands and their families are too far away or too busy to provide the necessary care, and it’s not always for lack of love, but because society forces us to work long hours and we don’t have time to dedicate to them.