Feeding the elderly / vulnerable / isolated

[TheReelSlimShady]

Okay, I've tried looking for a thread on this so apologies if it has been asked before.

But if we do go into a more stringent 'lockdown' how are we going to feed the people that need feeding?

For example, currently the elderly are getting priority slots at supermarkets but this means they have to physically be able to get to a supermarket to do this, and goes against the advice to avoid close contact with others for such a high risk group.

Online shopping slots are often booked up for weeks, if available at all, and not all elderly people have even ever used online shopping so may find it difficult.

There is a great spirit of neighbours shopping and family etc. But what about when this becomes an impossibility? I say this because I live in an area with a LOT of elderly people. I also live alone and currently have symptoms of CV (persistent dry cough, fever). So I'm doing the responsible thing of self isolating as I'm particularly mindful of the fact I have a lot of older people living nearby. I want to help and do my bit, but I also have my own extended family to think about (my own parents have health issues and my sister has just lost her job and has 3 kids to feed which obviously I am going to help with where i can).

If the government is relying on people like me to help, at the moment I'm about as much use as a fart in a lift. And equally if more and more people catch it and are told to self isolate, that's more people unable to provide the help they probably would want to.

So what is going to happen in these kinds of circumstances?

I've found the last few days exhausting, having three long winded conversations every day and getting orders for food in dribs and drabs from Mum. Today talking to her and three elderly/vulnerable people further afield on phone for over two hours. We have seven houses of elderly close to us. I'm going to say hello to all every few days, but to be honest I can't shop for all of them - can't manage a large trolley and won't have the car much every other week. I can only carry enough for us and possibly Mum up the hill. I feel bad already, but I will do what I can manage.

@ifonly4 Sounds like you are trying your best but you're right there is only so much you, and I, and everyone else can do.

I feel quite worried there are going to be a lot of elderly or other vulnerable people who potentially may not get the food they need or end up risking going out for food when the disease is spreading at its worst.

A little 'bump' for the daytime crowd.

I read an article on the FT:

www.ft.com/content/e2ddd346-6baa-11ea-9bca-bf503995cd6f

(sharing the contents is against their Terms and Conditions sadly and I believe they are behind a paywall)

This suggest that the government is going to set up a helpline to deliver groceries and medicines to those who need to be isolated, with supervision from logistic experts. I hope more clarification comes soon.

I was wondering this. We will be buying food for DM who lives locally and elderly neighbours. Trying to ignore the fact there isn’t any food in the supermarket and if we get rationed it will be difficult to buy 3 households worth of food, what happens if we get sick so can’t help them or if we go into lockdown?

The government need to get involved here. They'll probably set up some sort of helpline or find out who the people are though the NHS (letters going out tomorrow)