Corona virus - Are your elderly parents taking it seriously?
Corona virus - Are your elderly parents taking it seriously?
Author
Discussion

FreeLitres

Original Poster:

6,128 posts

206 months

Tuesday 17th March 2020
quotequote all
For those with elderly (70+) parents - are they taking self isolation seriously?

I live close to town and there are loads of grey haired folks milling around and going to cafes, etc.

Interested in your experiences

Heartworm

1,938 posts

190 months

Tuesday 17th March 2020
quotequote all
Not at all, my wife works in the public sector and its all old folk coming in!

GCH

4,140 posts

231 months

Tuesday 17th March 2020
quotequote all
Nope, not at all.

FreeLitres

Original Poster:

6,128 posts

206 months

Tuesday 17th March 2020
quotequote all
My FIL is almost 75 with immunity problems but does some community work. We have told him to stay at home but he keeps going out mingling with the public and colleagues.

Until yesterday, my parents were still milling around the pubs/shops/gym.

I saw some old dear (looked about 90) being interviewed on TV as she was at a dance class saying she thinks the guidance is all nonsense and she is going to carry on as normal.


Edited by FreeLitres on Tuesday 17th March 13:05

i4got

5,929 posts

107 months

Tuesday 17th March 2020
quotequote all
My MIL mid 80's seems to be of the view that she had a good innings and rather than spend her last couple of month in isolation she'd rather take the risk and if she dies she dies.

heebeegeetee

30,142 posts

277 months

Tuesday 17th March 2020
quotequote all
Went to a gardening event last Sunday - rammed with old 'uns. A group of us drink in an old mans pub (that has very attractive barmaids, I might add), last Thursday night it was rammed.

Not sure if we're going this Thursday. smile

Gary29

5,218 posts

128 months

Tuesday 17th March 2020
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Is this because they are not all on social media 24/7 and so haven't been swept up in the panic and hype like the younger generations?

CrgT16

2,526 posts

137 months

Tuesday 17th March 2020
quotequote all
i4got said:
My MIL mid 80's seems to be of the view that she had a good innings and rather than spend her last couple of month in isolation she'd rather take the risk and if she dies she dies.
I understand her thinking but it’s actually quite a selfish behaviour because they are most likely to need a respirator early on. So when the 50 year old father of 4 needs it they will all be used up by the elderly that spat nonsense. I think it’s quite important for the elderly not to get the virus at this stage for that reason. Not because of their views on their life but actually considering the others, the younger generations.

Same here they are all out, golf clubs buzzing, etc if the government said they wouldn’t get a respirator if they fell ill I bet they would follow through with the guidance!!

Strong penalties for breaking the advice but that will come in a week or so, it will stop being advisory to being mandatory.


Terminator X

20,599 posts

233 months

Tuesday 17th March 2020
quotequote all
Yes.

Mine both over 70 with diabetes etc so probably high risk. Amusingly (to me) my Mum wouldn't give me a cuddle / greeting when we met the last couple of weeks (they are local so I see them a few times a week) and my Dad not shaking hands. Now this week no visitors at all and they aren't leaving the house!

TX.

Dan_1981

18,099 posts

228 months

Tuesday 17th March 2020
quotequote all
It's going to cause ructions at my parents place!

Dad has gone to a paranoid extreme and doesn't want to go out of the house.

Mum has suddenly started needing to go to Tesco every other day... i'm convinced she's just nosey!

Davel

8,982 posts

287 months

Tuesday 17th March 2020
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F in Law almost 80 and playing golf today

M in Law mid 70s and line dancing today

So probably not....

Edited by Davel on Tuesday 17th March 13:38

i4got

5,929 posts

107 months

Tuesday 17th March 2020
quotequote all
CrgT16 said:
I understand her thinking but it’s actually quite a selfish behaviour because they are most likely to need a respirator early on. So when the 50 year old father of 4 needs it they will all be used up by the elderly that spat nonsense. I think it’s quite important for the elderly not to get the virus at this stage for that reason. Not because of their views on their life but actually considering the others, the younger generations.

Same here they are all out, golf clubs buzzing, etc if the government said they wouldn’t get a respirator if they fell ill I bet they would follow through with the guidance!!

Strong penalties for breaking the advice but that will come in a week or so, it will stop being advisory to being mandatory.
I think she assumes that like Italy they won't bother with ventilators for people her age and they'll be restricted to younger people. I think she has a point.

Amateurish

8,280 posts

251 months

Tuesday 17th March 2020
quotequote all
CrgT16 said:
i4got said:
My MIL mid 80's seems to be of the view that she had a good innings and rather than spend her last couple of month in isolation she'd rather take the risk and if she dies she dies.
I understand her thinking but it’s actually quite a selfish behaviour because they are most likely to need a respirator early on. So when the 50 year old father of 4 needs it they will all be used up by the elderly that spat nonsense. I think it’s quite important for the elderly not to get the virus at this stage for that reason. Not because of their views on their life but actually considering the others, the younger generations.

Same here they are all out, golf clubs buzzing, etc if the government said they wouldn’t get a respirator if they fell ill I bet they would follow through with the guidance!!

Strong penalties for breaking the advice but that will come in a week or so, it will stop being advisory to being mandatory.
Yes, she won't feel the same with the NHS is overloaded and the doctors have to start triaging those who will and won't get treatment.

CrgT16

2,526 posts

137 months

Tuesday 17th March 2020
quotequote all
Which it’s probably what’s happening in Italy and Spain now and why we see a high death rate.

PositronicRay

28,997 posts

212 months

Tuesday 17th March 2020
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My 87 y/o MIL worried and risk averse, didn't go to her exercise class. We're making sure her cupboards and fridge is stocked. Also taking her for short, 1 mile walks each day to stop er going totally doolally.

HarryFlatters

4,203 posts

241 months

Tuesday 17th March 2020
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My 70 year old dad is parked in front of the tv watching John Wayne films on TCM, my 68 year old severely asthmatic mother is baking like there's no tomorrow. I'm dropping off bread, milk , Guinness and Sauvignon Blanc, yanno, the essentials. They're not massively worried about it, but they're being sensible and staying away from the pub, bowling club, golf club etc. My outlaws are keeping to themselves, FiL isn't in the best of health after a series of TIAs, MiL is well but her age puts her into the at risk catagory.

Wifey and I have a 6 month old baby girl in the house, so we've cancelled all social events for the foreseeable, I'm fairly risk averse these days. My best mate is ill after being exposed to C-19 at work, and it was only chance that we didn't hang out this weekend.


RicksAlfas

14,523 posts

273 months

Tuesday 17th March 2020
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I think my Mum has diverted all the local garden centre deliveries direct to her, so she'll be happy as long as she isn't banned from going in her garden!

I do think some oldies have not realised that the request for them to stay put is for everyone else's benefit, rather than their own.

SeeFive

8,353 posts

262 months

Tuesday 17th March 2020
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Mum is 90 in May. She is under house arrest since last week. She is quite slight, fit for her age but does have an undiagnosed almost nervous type cough and age related breath shortness under duress. She doesn’t get out much (maybe twice a week) under normal circumstances, so her exposure to health threats are minimal in normal life hence we assume her immune system to be below par.

We (Me and 2 brothers) are getting her supplies as required. We each phone her every day anyway and visit quite frequently (the other two are close by, I am 160 miles round trip but try to make it fortnightly for a day), and will implement distancing and 15 minute stops when we visit. We are also keeping in touch with each other daily at least as the situation changes. We have advised her to keep anyone else outside the door, not sign posites device etc.

We have a plan if she gets sick to make sure one of us is with her 24x7. We are monitoring her and the changing situation and will mitigate risk further should we need to on her behalf, such as cancelling her weekly hairdresser visit (who is already hand washing and distancing from clients as far as possible for some time). An old woman with bad hair for months is not a happy woman... balancing act. smile

I’m stuck for what else we can do frankly.

AC43

13,617 posts

237 months

Tuesday 17th March 2020
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My Mum is 92 and has recently been ill (unlike her) and has developed a heart condition.

Former nurse, taking it seriously.

Trying to avoid people who should know better and who should be self-isolating;

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/03/16/belove...

Jasandjules

72,600 posts

258 months

Tuesday 17th March 2020
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My mum thinks they are banned from going out from Friday and is panicking. My dad appears to think it has no impact upon his life. They are out shopping right now (and live with me so if they do stay in for twelve weeks.................)