KENMORE, NY (WKBW) — With the Rebound Buffalo, we are also helping you manage the pressure of this pandemic. And local researchers want to help leaders provide you with the help you need.
7 Eyewitness News senior reporter Eileen Buckley explains D’Youville College in Buffalo is conducting a survey looking at a variety of issues from financial loss to food disparity to how you are coping.
“And we've been working on the computer, doing flash cards,” said Amber Lorenz, parent and Kenmore resident.
Her five-year-old daughter, Brielle Lorenz, stood in her driveway wearing her bright pink, Hello Kitty nightgown and colorful face mask.
Her mom is a Buffalo school art teacher. She says she's being at home, every day, with her daughter, one year old son and husband has created more stress then she imagined.
“It’s definitely been tough. It's harder than I thought it was going to be,” expressed Lorenz. “The worry of like our own parents and family members and not being able to see them.”
Lorenz said she feels anxiety anytime she or her husband goes to the grocery store.
“Just the worry of what we are coming in contact with. Are we transferring it to them?" Lorenz remarked.
The impact this pandemic is having on families and the community is exactly why D’Youville College is conducting the Erie County Covid-19 Community Survey.
The survey will measure the social and health consequences the virus is creating.
“Families are dealing with a lot of stresses that are new, working from home, schooling from home, job loss — all at the same time, so there's this compounding stress,” explained Dr. Lauren Clay, assistant professor, Health Administration and Public Health Department at D’Youville.
The survey asks a variety of questions about your concerns of COVID, how you are protecting your family, job loss, do you have access to health care and food.
“We are seeing really high rates of food insecurity, things that we haven't seen in the U.S. in maybe since World War II. I think that job loss is really pervasive,” Dr. Clay not4ed.
The survey will help teach agencies how to respond better and meet community needs in a pandemic.
Everyone is asked to answer the survey.
It asks about your age, sex, race, family income and race ethnicity, but you remain anonymous. But that information will be key in assisting those in need and examine how it effects individuals from many demographics.
“We might be able to look at how older adults are fairing we might be able to look at how younger folks are fairing, household full of children, people with lower income verses higher income,” Dr. Clay remarked.
“We might be able to look at how older adults are fairing we might be able to look at how younger folks are fairing, household full of children, people with lower income verses higher income,” Dr. Clay remarked.
For now, this Kenmore mom she says knowing that at some point the pandemic will end, is keeping her hopeful.
“Just trying to keep that positive can be really hard — some days are really hard,” reflected Lorenz.
