Parents move in with us or self isolate alone?

[MWestie]

Am so torn about this and would really appreciate others' viewpoints.

Mum and Dad are 80 and 90 and live 300 miles away. Mum is registered disabled and Dad is increasingly fragile.

I would like them to move down to stay with us (me, DH, DS12 and DD8) so that I can ensure they are looked after if the government announces, as it seems they will, that over 70s should self isolate. This would be my preference as I already worry about them so much.

However I don't know if they would be more at risk here than isolated in their own home? I'm assuming (perhaps wrongly) that schools will close at some point and home working encouraged wherever possible.

Is anyone else in a similar position, living far away from elderly relatives?

MWestie, yes - very relieved that he's willing to 'do as he's told' (his words, not mine). He can be very stubborn so I would have little chance of persuading him to do anything he didn't want to.

The really difficult thing is that my mum's recently gone in to residential care and we almost certainly won't be able to visit for weeks, months even. They've hardly spent any time apart (been together since they were 20) and he goes every day. I can't begin to imagine how painful that's going to be, and she's got dementia so won't really understand.

I'd like recently widowed DM79 (we lost dad a few months ago) to move in with us - and we could self-isolate at home with a bit of sorting... DH is 65 & has underlying-health issues too so we should probably be thinking of social distancing...

Tldr that's fantastic they have such good neighbours.

LittlePearl I'm so sorry to hear about the situation with your mum, that must be so difficult.

Mother87 very sorry to hear about your dad, and so recently too. If your mum could move in with you it might give you peace of mind, although it's hard to know what to do for best

Isn't it a bit unfair to isolate your 2 children for 4 months? Why do one of you have to go out for food when you can get it delivered.

ZombieFan you're right, we wouldn't want to isolate the children for 4 months as things are at the moment, but we were thinking if the schools were to also close and if we had to be confined to the house anyway

I feel your distress about this OP. My mother lives 4 hours away alone but in good health. I wonder whether to go and get her now. But no perfect solution as others note. On balance I think best to leave mine be with lots of food, food neighbours and Skype set up. But it's very upsetting and I hate thinking of her being afraid and lonely.

Brendansbuddy I feel for you and your mum. Unfortunately I think there will be many families in a similar situation to ours, where they live far apart from each other.