Do go out!!

[Thepigeonsarecoming]

If you have elderly family members/friends. The non contact stuff allows this. You can knock, stand back, deliver food, chat from a safe distance, if you live locally

One of my neighbours died of a stroke yesterday. We will never know if she had any symptoms beforehand as she wouldn’t cause “a fuss” or ask for help. I say died yesterday but I don’t know for certain only when her weekly carer found her body.

Check in on those who are vulnerable, remotely if can be, but a quick knock and stand back if needed. You can maintain social distancing more effective in a driveway than a supermarket

Coronavirus isn’t the only killer :(

That’s so sad @Thepigeonsarecoming. It’s the worst fear come true for most people.
I get worried at the mental health aspect from isolation too. Keeping in touch with shielded people is so important.

I shop once a week for my shielding brother.
The first week I dropped his bags at his door and left before he came out to get them.

I felt so sad and couldn’t imagine what it’s like to not even see another person for such a long time.

Every week since, I’ve dropped his shopping and waited for him to come out for it.
Stood back, far enough away, and had a good old chat.

Feels much better that way, and I like to actually see him so that I know he’s okay.

Well said pigeon.

My neighbour has cancer. We don't generally mix with him. But both me and my oartner have checked in with him everyday. We also got his sons number.

We have a shop a few doors down, and they are calling him and seeing if he needs anything.

Unfortunately, if dp succumbs to his condition, it could come without warning. But at least he isnt alone.

Those that are alone, need to know people care AND it could save their life.

I am so sorry this happened ❤

I'm shopping for an elderly gentleman in the next street. I was asked to ask him if he would like a phone call every week from the local CV19 group but he said that as long as he had contact with me he would be ok....
I also cook dinner every night for an old man in the same road...

That is very sad, Thepigeonsarecoming.

It’s so important at the moment that we all check on our neighbours, friends and relatives that are living alone to make sure they are ok.

One of our elderly neighbours is shielding and has been finding it really tough. His family live too far away to visit so it is important for him to have some human contact.

We have been having coffee with him in his front garden, at a distance, every morning this week and he says it has really helped him as he doesn’t feel so alone anymore. In fact, several neighbours joined in yesterday so it was good fun. It’s only for half hour and we are all spread out so no risk.

My grandad lives alone and is isolating. His children are taking it in turns to get his shopping for him. My mum went in the week and sat in his garden while he sat inside and they had a coffee together.

It's heartbreaking and we are not going to leave him with no company for months on end.

Agreed. Huge furore on Twitter about James cracknell sitting in his dads garden 2m away from his dad, having gone round to take shopping (Mail online doctored the pic to show them sitting next to each other)

As you can imagine there's hundreds of replies along the lines of "you can take the shopping but must leave immediately, dems the rules!"

Yup. You CAN have a an outside chat 2m apart. Anyone who thinks otherwise is too dim to understand the rules, science or probability.

Agree OP

Exactly..I’ve met my daughter in the park, or driven past their house on way to surgery and had a chat at the car..keeping our distance
Loneliness is awful.
Been there decades ago.
Never want to go back to that.

Yes I go and sit with my mum and Dad in the garden, we go through the back gate, they have s big garden and sit at least 3 metres away. I never did see the harm in it, it makes there day

I think I’ve finally found my people!

@Applebottomjean. That's awful and one of the reasons I'm off SM at the moment, loads of horrible judgemental stuff going on designed to fire up hysterical people.While much is made of the genuine kindness this pandemic is bringing out, there is also a lot of downright nastiness from people who seem to begrudge anyone else having a little pleasure or showing compassion

I’d give my soul to be able to visit my Dd & hold my now 12 week Dgs though!

They live over an hours drive away so not able to visit each other.
He’ll have changed so much, he was 6 weeks old last time I held him!

Yes! We have been able to do this all along- and it’s so cruicial right now a few weeks in. If shielding age groups, for example, continues it will be more important than ever to visit.

If we weren't visiting the MIL 9 (note to the mindless hystericals - we are staying 3m apart) I hate to think what state she would be in.

She is quite weak, on various medical complaints, mostly from leukemia medication, some from just generally being nearly ninety. Usually lots of socialising and family visiting now nothing and mood has plummeted she feels very down.

You bet your sweet ass we're going to see her and check how she is every day.

If I’d not visited my mum she’d have had no food for a month. Finally managed to get her on the vulnerable delivery list. All the same, I still pop round with a few bits for her once a week. Leave it on a bench near her back door and grab the coffee she’s made me. I then move back and sit down probably 5m away and she comes and sits in her back door and we chat for half an hour. I’m the only person she sees all week. If I’m breaking the rules then shoot me.

OP that’s so sad

The poor lady

What bothers me most is her having to suffer lockdown and then die. Absolute fuckers. If she had people she wanted to see....? No, mass hysteria much more important.

Mum’s neighbours call her every day, as do i, and my sister, and my cousin. But as an 82 year old widow, I can sense her slipping away with every conversation.

Yes, I'm surprised we're not hearing more of these tragedies, where people weren't missed for days, or the DV.

It is inevitable that some people are being overlooked, but it doesn’t make it any less tragic.

I do pop round to my ageing mum most days, and drop off supplies or just wave at her. She is finding it very hard, not being able to let us come in. I usually hang around for a bit chatting - she stands inside with the window ajar and I stand at the kerb several metres away.

I think very small acts of social contact and support are incredibly meaningful. And anything is better than nothing.

Thank you all for such lovely understanding comments. I did expect to get shot down in flames after reading other posts on here

Yes, do this. My neighbour messaged earlier on, could we bring some eggs from our chickens around. Dh took them and they had a lovely socially distanced chat. Both felt better for it.

I see my elderly parents when I take their shopping up. We are extremely lucky to have a side gate and have had good weather. I've probably seen more of them since lockdown than before. We observe more than 2m.