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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Let us know how you're weathering the pandemic storm, and make sure to share your thoughts on this story in the comments section below!

h/t: The Arlington of Naples