Mental health declined for the general population during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, but younger Canadians were most affected, according to a new study from the University of Waterloo.
When Devon Asemota was a second-year Kinesiology student, he took the Introduction to Exercise Physiology lab and experienced through hands-on learning how to assess an individual’s cardiovascular fitness.
Now in his fourth year, Asemota is preparing that same lab for incoming second-year students who will experience it virtually.
Lindsay Eberlin may be graduating during a worldwide pandemic, but it hasn’t stopped her from reflecting on the good things that came from her experience as a Therapeutic Recreation student and what she wants to do with her life.
“My time at Waterloo was more than I had imagined,” she says. “It was filled with many opportunities and memorable experiences that allowed for personal growth and accomplishment.”
Eberlin says the hands-on experiences her program provided developed her confidence and skills in her field.
Recent public health data shows that people over the age of 60 make up 93 per cent of deaths in Canada related to COVID-19. Half of the COVID-19 deaths have happened in retirement and nursing homes, which continue to be hit the hardest by COVID-19 cases. Many in our community may feel like there’s nothing that can be done to help our parents and grandparents deal with the pandemic.