To suggest to combat Over 70's isolation we organise telephone lists and outdoor street concerts?

[Izzidigne]

Am I being unreasonable to suggest we should all collect our neighbours phone numbers and with their agreement distribute them around our road.
We could then organise open air concerts, maybe open air film nights in a cul de sac and neighbours could keep in touch by phone to avoid loneliness.

Sharing contact details is probably a good idea, but I think having to listen to open air concerts outside the door would drive a lot of anxious people absolutely mad.

We could then organise open air concerts, maybe open air film nights in a cul de sac

And then the council licensing team comes along and tells you to stop, as you don't have a license to do what you are doing.

Sharing contact details is a good idea - our cul de sac which has a mix of ages including quite a lot of >70s has a WhatsApp group for a while anyway.

Organising any sort of physical get-together is a bad idea.

Dropping your number through the door of those having to self quarantine is a nice gesture.

Open air concerts would do my bloody head in.

Yes to contact details, lots are already doing that and it's a lovely idea.

Open air concerts and film nights kind of defeat the object of self-isolation don't they?

PhilCornwall1 I think the council will be too busy with other things to worry about licences. Everyone is going to need to be redeployed to assist with older vulnerable people who don't have neighbours or relatives. Lots of current laws will have to be abandoned. Maybe we will all need redeploying to essential jobs like food supply and health as large numbers of the workforce are off sick or self isolating.

An open air street concert sounds a total nightmare. How do those who don’t want to participate avoid it when they’re stuck at home?

ZebrasAreHorses As long as you are at least a metre and a half away and you're in the open air with good ventilation and don't touch anything there's no cross infection possible. But if you go shopping for neighbours any change you give them should be washed in a very dilute bleach solution and not touched again before they pick it up.

Izzidigne, but how on earth do you ensure that everyone stays 1.5 metres away from each other at all times? How big an area would you have to have to put on a film or concert? And keeping everyone apart again on approach and departure. People will naturally say hello to others and get closer than that, even if they are reminded not to have physical contact.

It really is a nice thought, but totally impractical.

Garden chairs at the end of the front of the house and putting leaflets through doors with instructions to not approach others I suppose ZebrasAreHorses. It's a balancing act to try to isolate older people without driving them into depression through loneliness.

Maybe elderly people need a government provided social isolation kit of tape to mark out an exclusion zone, hand sanitiser dispenser and a bucket and dilute bleach solution for exchange of money.

And not driving them bats by being forced to listen to music they don't like being amplified right by their house.

Do not organise gatherings, whether indoors or out.

Do make sure you have a clear way to show that you are not scammers. And protecting those potentially susceptible to scams amongst the self-isolating on age/underlying health grounds couid be an extremely useful service.

And be ready to keep it up in the longer term. Some will, when things normalise, return to a happy social life. Others won't and loneliness amongst the elderly is a real issue. You can help make a small silver lining by looking out for that and not letting it happen again. Stay in touch.

I have a feeling that the over 70s (or is it 70 and over) are being subjected to the 'stick' without the accompanying 'carrot'. I have minor health problems and am 73 - I am self-isolating already except for family and ordering online things because I would come off worst in the scrum that is supermarket shopping.
Most people I know of my demographic are doing the same.
It should be possible to allow some leeway on shopping hours, instigate a kind of good neighbourhood scheme for those who are house-bound. Yes the 'prison' may be for our own good but a bit of thought for how many of us could use a bit of help to survive would not go amiss (let alone threaten us with draconian retribution)
OP it is a nice idea but not really workable. Simpler gestures and thoughtful help would be more appreciated

Arrrgh this would drive me mad. I like peace and quiet and having some sort of open air amateur band aid on the back green would drive me to distraction.

What a good idea! Bring together all the people who have been told to self-isolate for their own protection and take them to just the kind of event that’s being banned elsewhere!

Maybe we could get around the problem of loneliness by suggesting everyone visits each other a lot more too! Perhaps even deliberately coughing on friends and neighbours so we can all be in it together, like the Blitz?

I think your heart is in the right place. But as an HCP who works shifts, I don’t fancy open sir concerts on our street

Seriously though, I think there are a lot of opportunities for helping the elderly via local Whatsapp and Next door app groups.

*air

Phone numbers, maybe, if you can ensure everyone volunteering is trustworthy. Anything outdoor involving several people, very bad idea.

What? No don’t organise meet ups for people who are meant to be separated.

Yes to online connection and help.

And not driving them bats by being forced to listen to music they don't like being amplified right by their house.

Yes, I agree. If people have a radio or TV they aren't going to be short of music (and can choose something they actually like).

Phone calls and communication via smart phones etc, yes. You could have a dinner and chat with someone on facetime at the same time. But concerts and movie nights no, its encouraging people to mingle or subjecting people to something they don't want to hear.

There was a note in the news yesterday that a lady had drawn up that could be put through people's letter boxes saying ' I am X and I live at Y, my number is Z, I can help with shopping etc, please call if you need help.

I think this is an excellent idea, and is what needs to be organised across the country if we need to stay at home.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-51880695

Maybe also asking people if they have family/friends that are keeping in touch with them. Some will have daily contact, others might not have anyone at all.

Maybe we will all need redeploying to essential jobs like food supply and health as large numbers of the workforce are off sick or self isolating.

Nope, I won't be redeployed anywhere. I'm in the vulnerable category as I'm immunosuppressed, so I'll be stuck at home, doing the job I'm paid to do.

We all won't be redeployed either, that totally dramatic.

I think the 'I am X and live at Y'' notes are a great idea. I think organising lists of numbers is going a bit far. The singing from the balconies in Italy is wonderful but I am not sure if it would work here. It is a fine line between offering help and imposing it but better to err on the side of offering.

The singing from the balconies in Italy is wonderful but I am not sure if it would work here.

If anyone sang from their house around here, it would be followed by a chorus of "shut the fuck up dick head" and I live in a decent area. The estate a couple of miles away, they'd petrol bomb your house!!