NEIGHBOURS in one of our Shropshire Care Plus retirement living communities who found romance in the pandemic, say that social distancing brought them closer together. 

Before the pandemic, Graham and Lyn were nodding neighbours. But as Lyn explains, the changes brought about by lockdown gave them an opportunity to get to know each other properly: 

“I’d  seen Graham of course, but we’d never really spoken. I always liked to get out a lot and we each had our own routines. Our paths never really crossed.” 

In March, though, all that changed. Like all of us, Lyn stayed closer to home and Graham swapped his regular visits to Shrewsbury’s Quarry Park with walks around the scheme’s grounds.   

The garden was landscaped last year as part of our £300,000 improvement project and Graham, who is partially sighted, was able to enjoy it for the first time thanks to a ramp installed during that work. 

“We started chatting during our daily exercise and found that we enjoyed each other’s company,” says Graham. “I always found this time of year quite difficult. It is harder for me to see in poor light and as the nights draw in, I’d feel as though my world was shrinking. It’s  different this year. Together, life feels a lot sunnier.” 

Retirement living officer Justine Bain says that it has been a pleasure to see something positive come out of the pandemic. “It’s lovely to see Graham and Lyn so happy. Care Plus set out to help older people live their best lives and they are certainly doing that. Graham has now got himself a Motability car, which Lyn drives. They are always out on adventures together.” 

Graham and Lyn will soon have a companion on their adventures. Their new kitten, Gralyn, will be going along for the ride.