How California Is Coping COVID-19 Crisis

Speaker 1: 00:03 [inaudible] Speaker 2: 00:03 from KPBS public radio in San Diego. I'm Maureen Cavanagh and I'm Jade Hindman. Together we host the KPBS public affairs show, midday edition coming up, how California is coping a special wives' statewide broadcast. The Corona virus pandemic has many of us working from home schools are closed and now there's a state order to create more distance between us. We direct a statewide order for people to stay at home. Over the next hour, we'll see how social distancing and at-home isolation is affecting the mental health and wellbeing of California's. And we want to hear your stories about staying home and watching life as we used to know it. Turn upside down. We'll take your calls and comments. So stay with us after this news. Speaker 1: 01:04 [inaudible] [inaudible] Speaker 2: 01:04 welcome to this special statewide broadcast, how California is coping. I'm Jade Hindman and I'm Maureen Cavanagh. We're the cohosts of midday edition her daily on KPBS FM public radio in San Diego. Last night, governor Gavin Newsome Speaker 3: 01:18 made one of the most dramatic announcements we've heard during the Corona virus crisis. He ordered 40 million Californians to stay at home. Let's bend the curve together. Let's not regret, let's not dream of regretting go back. Say, well you know, we coulda woulda shut up now in the data. All points to where I think most of us know we're going. And president Trump today ordered the shutdown of the U S Mexico border for all non-essential traffic. So all around the state will be hunkered down, no school, no workplace, no restaurants, movie theaters, concerts. We'll just find ourselves at home from morning to evening, dusk to Dawn and all the while we're dealing with reports on the increase in covert 19 cases. So the question is, how are you coping? Speaker 4: 02:11 How, how is anybody gonna make money if everything's closed? I understand they want us to stay home, but staying home is not paying the bills without any weddings, birthdays, parties, festivals are mitzvahs, game, vignette. As any kind of event like that happening because of the CDC law regulations, I'm not able to, my business is not able to perform. I have zero [inaudible] okay. Speaker 5: 02:41 Right now I feel kind of defeated. Um, I'm a senior in high school and now I might not be able to walk the stage during graduation. And the last months that I thought I would be able to spend with my friends are being cut short. Speaker 4: 02:57 We've been keeping ourselves busy cooking from scratch, using flour instead of dry goods, um, you know, to make noodles and bagels and things like that. So we've been cooking together, just trying to do the curbside stuff, you know, where everybody can keep their distance and all of the rules and make sure we're not adding to the problem. Speaker 6: 03:19 Like, you know, a lot of people are going home. I'm don't really have that option. So it's a little scary. Speaker 7: 03:27 Those were the voices of Juana Guaio jr Denise Torres, Samuel [inaudible], Rachel Holt, Brett cooker, and Christie Snell. As of today, March 20th California has more than 1000 of the country's confirmed cases of coven 19. There have been 20 deaths. Health experts have stressed the importance of staying home and maintaining social distance to slow down the spread of the disease. CDC guidelines for Hibbett gatherings of 10 people or more for the next two weeks. And as we've noted, all Californians are now supposed to stay at home unless they need or provide essential services. Because of that, we've seen sports events, political primaries, conventions, business meetings, and even personal social events postponed or canceled, but what are the mental and emotional costs of abruptly changing daily routines and being in social social isolation? Now, that's the question many of us are just starting to deal with. As the reality of this pandemic kicks in, we want to hear from you. Speaker 7: 04:30 How are you being affected by working from home without the companionship of friends and coworkers? How are your kids dealing with their school being closed and not seeing friends? You can give us a call at +1 888-895-5727 or you can post your questions or comments on Twitter at KPBS mid day. Joining us now is dr Diana Concannon, associate provost at Alliant international university. She's a licensed psychologist and works in disaster and emergency response in Los Angeles County. She's here to discuss how communities can look to psychological recovery in the face of the covert 19 outbreak. And dr Concannon, welcome to the show. Speaker 6: 05:14 Thank you for this opportunity. Speaker 7: 05:16 Of course, the risk to physical health posed by this virus is the primary concern and the economic fallout is probably second. But from your vantage point, is the outbreak also taking a mental and emotional toll on people? Speaker 6: 05:30 Absolutely. The majority of people who are experiencing the stress of this particular event, um, or have experienced it in ways that are consistent that we've seen in other events, whether they be pandemics or natural disasters or man induced disasters, the majority will recover. Um, in psychological first aid terms, we call this a normal reaction to an abnormal event. What is different about this event, however, is the intensity, the duration, and the incredible uncertainty. This is a very unpredictable pandemic. The social distancing as the public health term that we're all too familiar with at this point, um, is, is labeled, cannot be confused with social isolation and we need to be adaptive in how we practice. Now connecting with one another. The fortunate thing for most people, they do have technological means to connect, whether it be by cell phone or more sophisticated technologies, zoom, a FaceTime or other means of connecting. Speaker 6: 06:45 And that is critically important. I had heard many tips on what to binge watch or what to binge read when we had to shelter in place, but less about when and how to reach out to each other and the frequency of doing so and the times to do so, which include not only when we are feeling in need but also those moments which will occur when we're actually feeling optimistic or calm. And those are also times when it's important to reach out so that we know about emotional contagion and we want to share those moments with others that might actually not be in that state of equilibrium themselves because we know that that will have a positive impact. Speaker 7: 07:33 You know, dr Concannon, are you seeing evidence that the crisis is spreading anxiety and panic? Speaker 6: 07:40 Oh, absolutely. I mean we've seen that in the hoarding behaviors that have happened with paper goods, with food. I've seen that in an increase in gun sales, alcohol and in these times marijuana. Again, these behaviors are typical and this type of event and and we are seeing them. They are efforts to control in part, um, when individuals are uncertain, they engage in these types of behaviors to try and regain a sense of control. But there also is a, as I mentioned, that sense of emotional contagion. Emotional contagion of itself is pretty neutral. It's the way we connect with each other. It's how we sync up. It's how we become part of a group, but in cases where individuals are engaging in panic behaviors that also can be contagious and we are seeing evidence of that, that panic and anxiety that ripples through communities when events like this happen, especially in an event that is as abberant as this event and it's important when individuals are feeling that they cannot tolerate that level of anxiety, that they do reach out either to friends or family or to the many mental health resources that are available. I have been inspired by how quickly our mental health professionals have mobilized and have gone telephonically or through telemental health to provide their services to community members who may just need a little more support during this time. Understandably then they otherwise might. So whether it's through insurance, employee assistance programs, student assistant programs, community mental health agencies, federally qualified health centers, there are so many different avenues for people to access, uh, even while they're in their homes. Additional support at this time. And it's very, very important to take advantage of that if anxiety is overwhelming. Speaker 3: 09:49 We're taking your calls on this special statewide broadcast. Our number is (888) 895-5727. Right now. Margaret Marshall from Redwood city is on the line. Margaret, welcome to the show. Speaker 8: 10:03 Thank you. Thank you very much. Speaker 3: 10:05 What's your question or comment? Speaker 8: 10:08 Well, my comment is just that maybe people want to think about something that sounds more, but it's very good advice, especially for someone my age 70. Um, it's time for decluttering and organizing and that includes doing your advanced directive, make sure it's up to date and put it in an end of life folder for your family. And I'm doing that and my kids have both thanked me because it'd be a lot easier for them should anything happen now and certainly when my number comes up eventually. Speaker 3: 10:38 Margaret, that's certainly practical. But doctor, what is your advice on that? Speaker 6: 10:42 So what Margaret is exemplifying here actually is one of the positive responses to stress that actually makes it enhancing rather than debilitating. We call it approach behaviors. And it is problem solving when in times of stress, how to make something productive out of a stressful time. And it's actually a very adaptive, pro-social, healthy behavior. Speaker 3: 11:11 And you know, dr Concannon, I'm curious to know who may be more susceptible to stress and anxiety during this outbreak. Speaker 6: 11:19 So I think all of us are susceptible. None of us are immune to having those moments. Um, especially during times when we might be fatigued or otherwise compromised. But certainly those that have preexisting mental health conditions might be in this particular environment. Those who are food insecure, those who are marginalized or without a social network and given especially the particular directives of sheltering in place, those like one of the callers on your introduction who might be physically also separated from friends and family would also be vulnerable. And that's why it's important for us to as citizens to collectively, uh, pull together and support each other and reach out even to those we might not otherwise under normal circumstances. Speaker 7: 12:16 Hmm. And you know, what are some practical ways then to practice social distancing but still connect? Speaker 6: 12:22 Oh, certainly by any electronic means by picking up the phone by uh, I have several um, group texts going on at any one time now with individuals, with neighbors that I know are, are more isolated. I think that that is a very efficient way also of doing this because I, even though we are all at home, I think for many, especially with having children at home, the responsibilities on us have, if anything increased rather than decreased. Speaker 7: 12:53 Well con can and will be speaking with you again later in the show. Thank you so much for right now. And then up next we are going to talk about how social isolation is affecting our kids. You're listening to how California is coping a special statewide broadcast from KPBS San Diego. You can give us a call at (888) 895-5727 you can post your questions or comments on Twitter at KPBS midday. Speaker 1: 13:26 [inaudible]. Speaker 7: 13:34 Welcome back to this special statewide broadcast, how California is coping. I'm wearing Kavanaugh and I'm Jade Hindman or host of midday edition on KPBS San Diego. We're talking about the psychological impacts of Corona virus in California. Just last night, governor Newsome ordered Californians to stay at home, but along with that order can come isolation and anxiety during a very difficult and stressful time. How are you coping through school closures, social distancing, working from home and the concerns about the virus. Give us a call at 1888955727 or tweet us at KPBS midday right now we have a caller on the line. We are taking your calls as Jay just said, and we're going to go to Jennifer Carter. Jennifer, welcome to the program. Speaker 9: 14:23 Hi. Thank you for having me. Speaker 7: 14:25 Tell me what your, is your question or comment? Speaker 9: 14:28 Um, I own a preschool in San Bernardino, um, because childcare is actually essential for people who are essential. Um, we're finding that it's extremely stressful for a number of different reasons. Um, my personal, um, licensing office, which is in Palmdale has always been fantastic, supportive, really good information. But, um, we've had trouble getting direction from the state licensing. We, there was a call that was statewide that we couldn't get on so people couldn't ask questions. So what I've done is turned to, um, there's actually a Facebook page with people who own centers or are directors of centers throughout the state of California. Um, it's a group called Californians for quality early learning learning, which is, um, SQL. And I've been able to really rely on that community to give me some perspectives about the, the ways that they're handling those, the way that they're assuaging some of the fears of their teachers and their kids. Um, like our enrollment is low, so you have the worry about paying things. Um, parents are coming in stress. The teachers don't know what to do. We can't. So now we're like operation toilet paper where we're hunting around, you know, while people are stacking up with toilet paper, we legitimately need all of those rolls of toilet paper because we have children and toddlers who, you know, so. So some of the practical things are really um, really pulling in a lot of different directions. Speaker 3: 16:06 Jennifer, what are you hearing from the kids themselves? Speaker 9: 16:09 Nothing. They were trying to make their lives as normal as possible. Um, I listen to public radio all the time. So, um, we drop kids at school age kids off at local elementary schools. So we've been listening to public radio and they were talking about the Corona virus and they mentioned that kids won't, you know, have a low prob our likelihood of dying from it or getting really ill. and when they heard that, they're like, wait, we won't die. And I said, well, probably not, not. And they're like, Oh well fine. And then they've been normal since then, so, Speaker 3: 16:44 so Speaker 9: 16:45 not worried. And I think because the parents are there, they're expressing their worry to us. To me as the center owner and director to my teachers to each other. They're able to alleviate some of that worry from their kids. They're able to talk about it, but the kids aren't as aren't as stressed out about it. Speaker 3: 17:05 Thank you Jennifer so much for sharing that. I really appreciate it because we have a special emphasis in this part of the show on how kids are coping this week. Governor Newsome said California schools will likely be closed until September. The disruption to children's lives and to the schedules of working parents cannot be overestimated and of course there's this special anxiety of children who are wondering if they and their families are safe. Joining us is dr Jenny. Yep. She's a child psychologist and executive director of the renewed freedom center in Los Angeles. She's also a professor of psychiatry at UC school of medicine, the USC, sorry, USC school of medicine. Dr [inaudible], welcome to the program. Speaker 8: 17:48 Thank you so much for having me. Speaker 9: 17:49 Now. Speaker 3: 17:50 Most kids across California have been home from school for a week now due to the Corona virus. Earlier this week, governor Newsome talked about how this is playing out in his home. Speaker 10: 18:00 One of my daughters, Oh, is expressing deep stress and anxiety that she wasn't in school of course. Never heard those words from her. I was encouraged by that. Uh, she missed her friends and she couldn't go to bed and she had thrown her, uh, you know, little bunny rabbit on the floor and pillows most of the rest of the bed on the floor. And uh, I was with her and very sober moment over course of about an hour and I told her, honey, I don't think the schools are going to open again. Speaker 3: 18:29 So dr GIP, are you hearing similar stories from parents about what their kids are going through at this moment? Speaker 8: 18:35 I hear stories from a lot of our parents where the kids are either really distressed about the consequences of the situation. So with the younger kids, they're concerned about not being able to see their teachers and not being able to see their friends. With the older kids, it's more about, well, will I have to repeat this a semester? Will I be able to graduate? So those are certainly a very real concerns that all of our, a lot of our kids have. Speaker 3: 19:05 And dr have. What does stress and anxiety look like among kids and, and what about teens as well? Speaker 8: 19:12 Unlike adults, stress and anxiety can appear differently for children. So you know, children really don't have an awareness of what their bodies are going through, especially the younger ones. So what a lot of parents see is a lot of temper tantrums or a lot of meltdowns, a lot of anger and irritability. So that is how some of um, the experiences of anxiety and stress can appear in the younger children. And then for the older kids, it can appear as if the child is withdrawn and isolated and shut down because you know, they are so overwhelmed and anxious that if they don't have the tools to deal with it, then they go into withdrawal and isolation and avoidance. Speaker 3: 20:00 And that brings us to Annika Kahn. She is calling in from San Francisco. Annika, welcome to the show. Speaker 11: 20:07 Oh, thanks so much. Oh, that was so strange. I was listening to my phone and there you were. Thanks for having this. This is a perfect topic. Um, I'm a parent of a teenager who is a senior and, um, it was great to hear what was just being expressed because he did the, the way that he's, um, coping with stress is, is sideways. It's coming out in very odd behaviors and we're fighting about strange things that we would not necessarily fight about if he were in school and as a parent, just that the pain of knowing that it, it's, it's so painful to know that your kid has worked so hard to get to this place of celebration and then that's just not happening. So as a parent, I'm struggling emotionally with that and also knowing that I'm the adult and I have to hold a lot of space for him. Um, so there's that piece. And then the other pieces that the directive for me, and I think for, I don't know for other people, but it's a little confusing because it, you know, we're told we're ordered to stay home. Um, and if we, and, and so if you violate that order, legally that's a misdemeanor I think. But it, so it's a little vague. It's like, wait, are we going to be arrested if we go outside? Speaker 7: 21:39 A lot of unknowns. Yeah. Well, let's bring doctor you've been to this doctor, you have, what would be your advice for parents like Anka who are dealing with a teenager? Speaker 8: 21:49 I think it's really important for all of us, you know, whether it's a teenager or even us as adults to realize that, you know, just because this is happening, it's not permanent. This is a temporary situation. We don't know how long it will extend. And the thing with anxiety is that it's thrives on uncertainty. So because we are, we have uncertainty about how long does this going to last, the extent of the virus and how it will impact our health. You know, that is what is creating a lot of uncertainty rather than focusing on uncertainty, though it's really important to focus on the productive behaviors that we can actually control. So some of the things that we can control would be to limit our, uh, our, our time that we are searching for the news or even watching the news. I think it's also important to make sure you're getting the news from reputable sources and not just Googling, um, for information on the internet or, or, uh, thinking that information on social media is going to be completely accurate. There's a lot of gossip out there, so you want to differentiate the facts from the fiction. Speaker 7: 23:11 And there's also the question of what parents should tell kids about coronavirus, knowing what to tell them and how isn't always straightforward B, but there are resources out there. Jade spoke with the creator of the children's science podcast brains on, and that tackled Corona virus in a recent episode to start off the Corona virus that's in the news. It's just one kind of Corona virus. There are a whole bunch of others too. And here's a little factoid for you. Corona is the Latin word for crown. Coronaviruses Speaker 12: 23:46 look like spiky little balls, kind of like a crown. And it's the name. Most people have gotten one of these viruses at some point or another. Have you ever had a common cold? That's a coronavirus. Molly Speaker 13: 23:59 bloom is host of the children's science podcast brains on. Molly, thanks for joining us. Thanks for having me. For anyone not familiar with brains on, tell us a little about it and some of the topics you've covered. Sure. Yes. So brains on, um, like you said, it's a science podcast for kids and families. Um, I'm the host and every episode I have a different kid cohost, um, and we answer questions that have been sent in to us from our audience around the world. So, you know, that's a huge range of stuff cause kids are curious about everything. So, you know, it's everything from why is the ocean salty, why do my feet smell, uh, what's at the edge of the universe. So, you know, it's a little stuff and the really big stuff. Um, cause kids want to know the answers. How do you go about breaking down complicated topics for kids? Speaker 13: 24:47 Yeah. So we do it, you know, in a few different ways. We try to have as much fun as possible when we're doing it. Um, cause we want to honor kids, you know, curiosity and their silliness too. So, you know, sometimes we will get complicated kind of metaphors where we'll write kind of skits where we have anthropomorphized molecules and things like that. Or other times we'll, you know, our kid cohost will interview an expert on the topic and it's always great when kids can directly ask experts what they want to know. Um, and other times we'll do things we call schizo donations where the cohost and I will talk about something and then, um, sort of introduce fun ways to explain it as we're talking. What are some of the main points you raised about coronavirus in the latest episode? So, you know, that episode was two weeks ago and a lot has already changed since then, but in that one we really just wanted to cover, you know, why are you hearing about this thing so much? Speaker 13: 25:41 Why people are paying attention to it. At the time it was cause it was new and it was making some people pretty sick. Um, and so in that episode we talked about, you know, why it's getting so much attention. And then also, uh, we talked about good hand-washing and sort of some more general things about how viruses spread. Um, and then we're making another episode about coronavirus right now that's going to come out this coming Tuesday, um, which we'll talk about a lot of the stuff that's happened since that episode where, you know, basically everything's been canceled and shut down. So we're going to talk about social distancing, why that's important. Um, and also what people are working on as far as medicines and vaccines go. And, you know, what advice do you have for anyone talking to children about coronavirus or anything they may see as scary or complicated? Speaker 13: 26:29 Yeah, I think for kids, you know, they want information. So I think it's really important to listen to what they're asking and to answer it as directly as possible. But I also think, especially in a situation like this where things are changing all the time and there's a lot of things that are a little uncertain that they don't need to know absolutely. Everything that you know about it. You know, I know I personally am looking at the news all the time and trying to get all the latest updates, but kids don't necessarily need every little turn of the screw on this story. They kind of need the big picture. So like why are the schools closed down? Why are people getting sick? Who is getting sick to the best of what we know, right. Speaker 7: 27:11 No. And you have a child yourself, you know, I'm curious to know, is there anything special or different you're doing to maintain order and routine? Speaker 13: 27:21 Oh my gosh, I wish I had a magic solution. I have a four year old, so, uh, you know, she wants my attention a lot and she's home with me now. So luckily she's napping at this very minute, which was great timing. Um, but yeah, it's really challenging. And so I'm just trying to make it so that we can all get so I can get work done and she can have fun. And also not just sit around watching television all day, but at this point, you know, I feel like every minute she's not watching TV is a triumph. So I'm going to give myself, Speaker 7: 27:54 you know, we're, is this something we're all taking day by day? For sure. Molly bloom is host of the children's science podcast brains on. Molly, thank you so much for joining us. Thanks for having me. And on this special statewide broadcast, we're talking about children coping through the Corona virus crisis. Are you a parent? How are you handling staying at home and the school closures? Are you doing something that's working for you? We want to hear from you. Call us at +1 888-895-5727 or send us a tweet at KPBS midday. And joining us now is dr Enrico. Now Lottie, a clinical psychologist in Pasadena who specializes in play therapy. He's also author of back to normal, why ordinary childhood behavior is mistaken for ADHD, bipolar disorder. And autism spectrum disorder. Dr [inaudible], welcome to the show. Speaker 11: 28:47 Uh, delighted to be on the show. Thanks. Speaker 7: 28:50 You know, I, I'm curious to know how can play help kids right now? Why is it so important? Speaker 11: 28:56 I mean, I, I think it's extraordinarily important. I mean, these are scary times where we're all being careful and cautious for all the right reasons. And play by its very nature I think allows kids to be carefree and unconcerned. And so as a parent, just witnessing you being playful, playfully engage loose, letting go implicitly conveys the kids, Hey, if mom or dad can be this loose, there's no need to have big worries. Uh, the Corona virus is bad, but life goes on. So at that basic level, I think that, um, why play is important. Speaker 7: 29:38 Okay. All right. On the line right now is Sonia Smith King and she has Speaker 3: 29:42 a question or a comment for us. Hi Sonia. Speaker 11: 29:45 Um, I, I have four children, uh, one with special needs. Um, how are we, uh, able to express, you know, uh, or how can we talk to our children who have special needs about, you know, what's going on and in and around them. Speaker 3: 29:59 Let me send that to dr yip. Dr [inaudible], can you answer that question? Dr? Yep. Are you on the line with us? Well, Sonia Smith King, uh, called us with a question on our online is one, eight, eight, eight, eight, nine, five, five, seven, two seven. We are going to go on with the show. In our next segment, we're going to find out how the arts can provide comfort during stressful and isolated times. You're listening to how California is coping with Corona virus. It's a special statewide broadcast from KPBS San Diego. That number once again is one eight, eight, eight, eight, nine five, five, seven two seven. Speaker 7: 30:38 Actually, we do have doctor get back with us here before we head into that next segment. Dr [inaudible], uh, we, we've had quite a few callers calling in to ask about various things. What's your response to, uh, one of our callers, Sonia Smith Cain. She's got an adult child with special needs. How do you, um, help someone like that adjust to these trying times? Speaker 8: 31:01 I think it's important to maintain consistency and routine. Like most of the experts have recommended it because that gives us a sense of control of what we can do rather than a sense of uncertainty and feeling like we are out of control. That anxiety thrives on. So whatever this person's a routine has been, it is really important to maintain that. So if the person gets up at a certain hour every day, make sure to maintain that. Um, you know, when it comes to, uh, responsibilities and tasks, it's important to maintain all of those. Speaker 3: 31:40 All of this discussion is going to continue on the other side of the break. Once again, this is a special statewide broadcast, how California is coping with Corona virus Speaker 1: 32:34 [inaudible] [inaudible] welcome back to this special statewide Speaker 7: 32:40 broadcast, how California is coping. I'm Jade Hindman, I'm Maureen Cavenaugh. We're co-hosts of big day edition on KPBS San Diego. We're talking about the psychological impacts of the Corona virus crisis in California. A statewide stay at home order is in effect. How are you coping at home? Has social distancing and working from home been rough on you or your kids? You can give us a call at one eight, eight eight eight nine five five seven two seven or tweet us at KPBS midday. We are back with an expert who you know, has spent the last hour with us. We've got psychologist, uh, and anxiety expert, dr Jenny yip and we're taking your calls to answer any questions you may have. Again, that number is one eight eight eight nine five five, seven two seven. Uh, right now we want to see if we have any callers who have called in. We've got Rachel Walker calling in from Berkeley. Rachel, can you hear us? Hi Rachel. Uh, the, your your on midday edition. Can you hear us all right? We're having a bit of technical difficulty reaching a Rachel, but well, what we will do is go to doctor [inaudible]. Doctor. Yep. Are you there? Speaker 8: 33:49 Yes, I am here. Speaker 7: 33:50 All right. No, it's a, you know, and as we've mentioned, we've had a number of, of people calling in with questions on how to really cope and deal with this, uh, unusual time. Uh, so I want to ask you, what about meditation? Can that help people create calm in this atmosphere? Speaker 8: 34:06 Certainly anything that we will work for. Anxiety is certainly going to work for this situation. So a lot of meditation, yoga exercise, just because a lot of the gyms are closed, actually all of the gyms are closed. Um, it doesn't mean that you can't still engage in the same exercises at home. A lot of the studios are holding classes online now, so they're providing that platform. It's important to keep active, keep exercise, keep your mental wellness because those are the things that will help to buffer anxiety and depression, especially in these stressful times. Speaker 7: 34:43 Dr yip, uh, we've had some technical difficulties on this broadcast and I think, you know, I think that's indicative of the kind of stress everybody feels under now. I've been talking to about myself as having stress head cause I keep forgetting things and having to go back to the car. And it is that the kind of thing that can happen when, when you hear all of this news so relentlessly day after day you just sort of lose your place. Speaker 14: 35:11 Okay. Speaker 8: 35:11 Certainly we are all sore out of sorts these days because our routines are not the same, which is why it's important to maintain those routines because it gives us sequence of what we need to do next. And it gives us a space of expectation and predictability. So I know for a lot of families also because they have kids at home, it's, you know, it's hard to keep everyone, um, in track and for myself, you know, I walked out of my house yesterday without my wallet, so, you know, I have, I'm screaming, uh, twin three year olds at home. Um, so we're all experiencing very similar stressors and we have to keep in mind that this is temporary and what has worked for us in the past to help us maintain calm will work for us now. So we just need to make sure we continue doing those things to maintain our mental wellness. Speaker 7: 36:11 And you know, we've been talking about about ways for people to stay connected, stay calm during this shelter in place, in social distancing orders, a amid this Corona virus outbreak. What should people be doing right now to just stay connected? What's your advice on that? Speaker 8: 36:24 Right. So I want to really differentiate social distancing from physical distancing. Just because we are asked to distance ourselves physically does not necessarily mean that we still cannot conduct socially. So the beautiful thing about all of the social platforms and video chats today is that it does allow us to connect, um, through video with other people. And it's really important to maintain that. So I would say even schedule these video chats or even phone calls, uh, regularly with loved ones and family members and friends because having that social network and social support is a huge buffer to decreasing depression and anxiety and maintaining our mental wellness. Speaker 7: 37:14 You know, there seems to be new information about the Corona virus or a new public health orders and guidelines from the state coming out every day. We heard from one caller, she wasn't even clear about what the stay at home order meant. Uh, how can people manage this information overload that we seem to be experiencing on a daily basis? Speaker 8: 37:35 Well, I live in Los Angeles, so we just got our safe ride home notice yesterday, last night actually, and I was going through the whole order to make sure that I understand myself. What were the um, exemptions. Um, so I think every city is may have something different and it's important to read through it though. You know, if you are spending hours and hours researching for news and watching the news, you're going to get sucked into the emotional catastrophes that we are hearing. And it's important to zoom out and spend quality time with your family right now. And just think of this as back in the days, back in the 70s and eighties and even early nineties, before, you know, the.com era exploded and we're all fit, you know, glued to our screens. So there was once upon a time where we weren't, um, just faced and bombarded by social media and the news on the internet and we spent quality time with our family members. So this is a time to think about, you know, what can I do to reconnect with my family to slow down. You know, you, you don't have a car pooling anymore, you don't have to attend a soccer games, you don't have to shuffle your children around. What else can you do to replace all of those busy work with quality time with your family? Speaker 7: 39:03 And indeed it is at a time where we have opportunity to spend quality time. But for parents, is it also important for them to take personal time for themselves? Speaker 8: 39:12 Yes, definitely. Because of you're not prioritizing self care then you won't be any good to your children. So making sure that you're taking time out for yourself. So you know, for, for my family after 8:00 PM when my children are in bed, we take time out for ourselves. Whether it's okay now we want to relax and just watch a show that is entertaining or taking a nice bath or even getting back to the book that has been on the shelves that you haven't had time to read. Speaker 7: 39:46 Wow. And you know, I'm curious, the internet as you kind of pointed to and alluded to earlier, it can really be an overwhelming place right now. Um, can you point to us one or two resources for people who are looking for solutions and ways to cope Speaker 8: 40:01 for, uh, the intranet and to deal with anxiety and depression? I would say definitely go to the um, ada.org website, which is the anxiety and depression association of America. I know that there are a lot of people with obsessive compulsive disorder or illness anxiety where this is right in their face and they are really overwhelmed now with contamination fears and a germaphobia. So I would encourage those viewers to go to IOC D F. dot. Org which is the international OCD foundation. And for parents needing more help with uh, resources and tools for their children. Definitely go to the child mind institute.org. Those are some really useful resources to help them manage anxiety and depression at this time. Speaker 7: 40:59 Thank you so much dr Jenny. Yep. Thank you for your time and for your information. Speaker 8: 41:04 Thank you for having me. Speaker 7: 41:06 And that, uh, let's, let's, Hey, take a listen to uh, Speaker 15: 41:26 [inaudible]. [inaudible]. Speaker 7: 41:38 What's you're listening to is something that we hope brings you calm. That is the sound of the great cellist yo yo mom who posted a video playing a song of comfort to Sue the jangled nerves arch, you know, have gone completely dark during the Corona virus pandemic and California arts. Continue to shine online though from book readings to many concerts, finding comfort and connectedness through the arts. Here's Maureen's speaking with KPBS arts editor, Julia Dixon Evans. Speaker 3: 42:08 Julia, I'm told that you have a few ideas on how to make our online binge watching a little bit more social. Speaker 16: 42:15 Yes, like quarantine and chill. You can watch something at the same time as groups of friends or family and there are tools for this. You can use a Chrome extension to sync up Netflix across multiple computers or stream the same videos on different screens or you can even just set dates or times to watch a movie together using video conferencing. Universal just announced they'd released a bunch of brand new movies like Emma, the neutrals movie direct to streaming, so you can watch those with groups. This also works for more than just movies. You can use that video conferencing, the host little karaoke sessions or open mic nights with your friends, read poetry together or take turns reading weird scifi books or play trivia together too, and I'm sharing things like maybes or what you're watching on social media or in texts with their friends is so important to connect to. Speaker 3: 43:08 Now. Museums have closed their doors, but they're still open online in a way. Tell me about what museums across the state are doing during this crazy time we're in. Speaker 16: 43:19 Yeah, they're ramping up their online features and social media quite a bit. Posting pictures of works, you can search the museum from home hashtag and see a lot of museums doing this. Uh, the broad and Los Angeles has a lot of their collection online. I mean, when's the last time you pinched zoomed on an Andy Warhol LACMA, the Getty standing a museum of art and the Mingay which has been closed for renovation, so they're an old pro sharing our wild clothes. They have stuff online to, um, San Francisco's de young museum just opened their soul of a nation exhibition about the role of art in the black power movement and that has a comprehensive digital component to it. To you, Speaker 3: 44:05 it would seem like a good time to just maybe snuggle up on the couch with a book, but libraries have closed and we've been asked to stay home. So what can we do about that? Speaker 16: 44:15 Well, it's still a great time to turn to indeed booksellers. They know books and they know authors and their communities. Green Apple books in San Francisco is posting curated shelter in place recommendations and a lot of books there are waiving delivery fees and they're often onsite to answer phone calls. If you want. Recommendations, diesel bookstore in Del Mar San Diego posts book cover picks of their new releases on their Instagram every week. Authors with new books right now are suffering without being able to tour. Audible also has free eBooks for kids and teens. They just announced that and a lot of libraries are making digital lending easier. You can find eBooks, magazines, news, audio books, even movies and getting a library card is easier too if you don't have one. Speaker 3: 45:08 Well, we can see a lot of TV and we can even stream movies, but live theater, they had canceled plays and musicals. They're just not around. In what ways are they still trying to provide entertainment for those of us stuck at home. Speaker 16: 45:22 So some dance and theater companies have started doing on demand videos of performances that were scheduled for this month. Other places like the LA opera is doing their LA opera at home series online with Facebook live videos. The San Francisco ballet has been posting short clips of ballets. They're also using their Instagram stories to give us a peek into ballerina zoom rehearsals, the local San Diego theater group circle, circle. Dot. Dot is currently collecting. User submitted, very short plays about quarantine life and they're going to be performing some of them remotely on Facebook this weekend. And for performing artists, audiences are their literal livelihood. So especially for musicians with new albums out for music, I recommend listening to the latest all songs considered episode. What we'll miss at South by Southwest this year. We're gonna be sure to listen with a notepad next to you. Speaker 3: 46:19 Now music festivals like Coachella have been postpone concerts, as you say, have been canceled, but one San Diego based group is putting on weekly Facebook live concerts from their homes studio Speaker 17: 46:33 [inaudible] hello sky. Hello to a new day. Speaker 3: 46:40 Joining us now is Sandy King and Joshua Taylor. They are the musical artists behind the King Taylor project and they join us by Skype and Sandy and Joshua, welcome to the program. Thank you. Hi. Why was it important for you, Sandy, to stay connected with your followers, your fans this way during the Corona virus outbreak? Speaker 18: 47:00 Uh, it's very important to us to stay connected because they are our lifeblood. You know, we, we wouldn't really be making music if there wasn't people who listened to it and to watch us perform. Um, and we also just kind of wanted to share this uncertain time. You know, there's a lot of information flying around and sometimes people just want to tune out and listen to some music and you know, enjoy the day and not really think about exactly all the stuff that's happening. So, Speaker 3: 47:25 and Joshua, what do you, what do you hope people are going to get out of these online live performances and how different are they for you? Huh? Speaker 9: 47:33 Um, well first what I hope they get as a sense of, of community because music has always done that in a live setting, but also on records. You listen to a record and you have a friend who likes the same record and people bond over that. So what I'm hoping is that we're still creating community around music. And we've seen that in the chat and our live streams. What's maybe different is that it is, you know, from our perspective it's a little bit different than a performance where you just playing songs at people, it's a little bit more like a house show. It's a little more intimate. And I think from the fans perspective they feel a little bit more involved because there's not this wall of the edge of his stage separating them from us. They're there in chat with us, you know, talking directly to us. So it's a little bit more intimate. It's a little bit more like a house show. Speaker 3: 48:16 So do you guys take requests? Absolutely. How long are these shows Speaker 18: 48:23 established a formula really yet. So so far they've varied. They, they've mostly been around an hour. Yeah, we had one the other night. That was two hours, right? Or three. Yeah. But that had multiple acts. So we did put on a show that was much like going to see a show at a, you know, at a venue where there's multiple acts. So we had that. And then we also last night did another one where it was just one hour of continued music or interacting directly with fans and, and doing things that we knew people wanted to hear. Speaker 3: 48:47 So that's what's going on with the King Taylor project. And Sandy and Joshua, thank you so much for being with us. I want to go back to Julia for just one last question. Schools across the state have been shut down to slow the spread of this virus. What are some ways we can help kids connect with the arts while they're stuck at home? Speaker 16: 49:06 Well, you can contact local musicians and artists and if you don't know where to start, check with your schools, music and art teachers for connections and hire those people to do remote private lessons or um, see if they're posting videos of lessons or just fun. Singalongs Mo Willens is doing regular online lunch doodles to get kids and families to draw and places like the new children's museum in San Diego. They've compiled a lot of their DIY art projects that you can do at home. They're posting new videos and getting live toddler art times. And the PBS learning media library has a lot of arts content for kids of all ages. So there's dance, our music, how tos and interactives as well as videos about history and theory of art. These are all some things to do together as a family, and you can also start doing extended family conference calls to read books aloud to each other. You can have grandparents do story times. Speaker 3: 50:08 Okay. I've been speaking with KPBS arts editor, Julia Dixon Evans. Thank you so much. Thanks, Marie. That's all the time we have for today. We'd like to thank our producers, Marissa Cabrera, Brooke Ruth, and John Carroll and the production Speaker 2: 50:27 staff here at KPBS in collaboration with our NPR member station colleagues across California. Thank you all very much, and we invite you to keep the conversation going with your public media station wherever you are in California. Public broadcasting is dedicated to providing you with information, context, and perspective every day, especially during these very trying times. I'm Maureen Cavanagh and I'm Jade Hindman. Thanks for listening.