Older Voices of the Pandemic

COVID-19 has changed our lives in countless ways. It has had an impact on everyone in our community, including older people. Stonnington’s Older Voices of the Pandemic project captures the stories, observations, experiences and reflections of older people living in our community.

In 2023 the Stonnington History Centre commissioned Way Back When Consulting Historians to interview eleven older people about their experiences of COVID-19. Our participants — Anne, Glen, Lilly, Marie, Marion, Mary, Pat, Sandy, Shelia, Sonia and Trish — were aged between 68 and 88 years old at the time of the interviews.

They reflect on Melbourne's lockdowns and restrictions; share personal experiences of illness and loss; and demonstrate resilience through practical examples of how they spent their time and the ways they found to connect to friends and loved ones.

Watch the short video below to hear some of the heart-warming and sometimes heart-breaking stories from this extraordinary period in history through the eyes of older people. Alternatively, make an appointment to visit the Stonnington History Centre to read full transcripts of the interviews.