Protecting vulnerable when you have to see them for care

[AIMD]

Any tips or ideas about how to protect vulnerable relatives when you have been seeing them for allowable reasons?

We have been seeing my parents, both in late sixties, quite a lot recently as they have had to loved house and we have needed to help them with lots (my mum is disabled and dad has mental health needs). Most likely we will still need to see them a bit over the coming weeks to help get things sorted in their new home (eg I saw them last night to help deliver and get a new tumble drier into the house).

We’re in a relatively safe area but numbers are rising here, like most places. I will need to still help them but am anxious about how to do it safely.

Anyone else in a similar situation? How do you make seeing them safer...is it just usual mask, washing hands or anything else you do?

a) make your visits as efficient as possible to reduce the time you are indoors
b) stay in separate rooms (if doing maintenance/household tasks, there is no need for them to be in with you for most if it)
c) minimise the number of rooms you enter
d) open windows, and ask they keep them open for a while after you have gone
e) wash your hands frequently, and wipe down surfaces you have touched
f) follow anti-transmission rules diligently at all times, and minimise your contacts with other people to essential only, with full proper distancing - the less you are in contact with people the lower your chances of catching it and passing it on

Thank you @UnmentionedElephantDildo

We’ve slipped into bad habits because we’ve been seeing each other so much. So I need to reign it back in and try to be safer with them.

The bulk of the work is done so hopefully we will just have to pop in and out now. Where as before I was in their house for hours at a time going through things with them (they are hoarders and moved to much smaller house so was a LOT to sort out).

My dad has dementia which makes things like masks and social distancing/staying in different rooms difficult. We use ventilation, and living like hermits (except children in school so not really).

A big thing for me was accepting that it was impossible to keep him totally safe but that we are safer than a rotating cast of carers.

By we I mean dh and I. Kids arent allowed to visit.

We have this as I look after both my elderly parents and it has to be close-up as I take my Dad to his appointments and he needs support while walking. I wear a clean mask with kitchen roll folded inside, and I stay a distance unless it's necessary (and try not to talk when I'm that close up). He has a room at my brother's which used to be the dining room, off the kitchen, so I can see him and talk to him while I prepare lunch and tidy up, and I sit in the doorway a good 3 metres away while we chat. Same with my mum, whose house is open plan - she doesn't need as much help as he does. And lots of hand washing. I also limit my contact with others.