101-Year-Old Mask Maker Uses Skills From Work In Military And NASA To Help Others

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused shortages of personal protective equipment, most notably facemasks. With the CDC’s recommendations that people cover their faces, the demand for facemasks is higher than it’s ever been. In Florida, one retirement residence is striving to make a difference.

The shortages affect everyone.

Image credit: Unsplash | H Shaw — Unsplash | H Shaw

It’s critical for front-line medical workers to have proper protective equipment. But for the rest of us, a simple homemade facemask will do the job just fine until these shortages no longer exist.

Elderly people are especially vulnerable.

Image credit: Facebook | The Arlington of Naples — Facebook | The Arlington of Naples

COVID-19 is deadliest against older demographics, so most retirement homes have closed their doors to visitors. At The Arlington of Naples, Florida (seen above), residents decided to make a difference.

They’re keeping their distance.

Residents of the community can’t see their loved ones in person. It’s bound to get boring, but they decided to put their free time to good use by making homemade facemasks.

Staff and residents are cranking out these masks.

It might not be appropriate for medical workers, but masks like this are a good option for regular civilians. What’s more, they help free up the more heavy-duty masks for people who really need them.

This is fashion in the age of COVID-19.

Since we’re all getting used to wearing masks, and seeing people with masks, it’s kind of nice that you can create a unique mask by using different patterns of fabric.

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This must be some kind of record.

This is Ruth Anderson, who’s 101 (!) years old. She put her sewing skills to good use by creating some pandemic facemasks.

It’s incredible to think that she was born shortly after a global pandemic, lived through the Great Depression, World War II and now is experiencing another global pandemic.

Masks for everyone.

Besides the obvious functionality of these facemasks, creating them is a fun project. For residents and staff who are starting to get a bit stir-crazy, it’s a welcome distraction.