On September 22, Professor Lucia A. Silecchia participated in a virtual discussion on "Social and Cultural Perspectives on Aging" at the 12th Interdisciplinary Conference on Aging and Social Change. Her presentation, "The Burdens of Isolation: Forced Isolation of the Elderly During Covid-19," explored the impact of the near-total isolation imposed on elders and other vulnerable persons living in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and other congregate residential settings during COVID-19. Silecchia argued that while, initially, restrictions were intended to stop the spread of COVID-19 — which was particularly deadly in such settings — over time the restrictions themselves caused a devastating physical, mental, and spiritual toll. Silecchia’s paper on the topic, which will appear in the upcoming issues of the Baylor Law Review, argues that access to companionship is critically important and it proposes parameters for ensuring that it is better protected in the future. It reviews initiatives already proposed by the federal government and by local jurisdictions and attempts to craft a policy proposal that respects the need to protect against both the medical harms of a pandemic and the serious harms of isolation.