Is there anything us oldies can do to help?

[abstractzebra]

I've read a lot of posts on here where people are struggling with work and kids etc.
I'm sure that there's plenty of us on here with older children, not in a high risk category, maybe furloughed or not working and basically twiddling our thumbs.
Is there any way we can help out?
I've had a good think and can't really come up with anything useful at the moment and obviously not suggesting that we add to the already massive problems by running around doing things we are not supposed to do!

I was thinking about this too. My husband’s boss is struggling as a single parent with work and childcare at the moment. She’s a key worker but has been refused school places. I’m retired and thought how easy it would be for me to assist with childcare and schoolwork.
Not allowed to though as restrictions won’t allow it. I would be adding to the problem.

Zoom call teaching younger kids / reading stories? Or supervising kids going to the park? Best to just ask parents of actual kids you know, because everyone's needs will be different.

I wondering if offering some teaching sessions of a new skill over zoom etc would work.
Lovely idea

Families are allowed a childcare bubble, so if you think they are struggling with work/school and don’t have anyone else, you could offer with that?

Maybe loan a laptop (and your Wi-Fi connection if near enough).

Lovely idea but depends what you mean by “oldies”?

If you’re 65+, you could be doing more harm than good by putting yourself in harm’s way. Not discriminating, I’m no spring chicken myself. Just being realistic.

Some form of zoom education/entertainment/babysitting is good.

That’s a lovely idea btw.

The Wi Fi was the only thing I could think of but I live in a fairly old people's area and don't really know anyone with small children nearby.
I'm fairly new to my town and only really know neighbours and work people and in the type of work I do, we rarely have young, family people.

I'm 50 and physically fit and well.

Honestly? Best thing you can do to help is not catch Covid! Which is a win/win, obviously.

What a nice post.

Supervising (via Zoom or Skype) kids who are home learning, and helping them out/encouraging here and there could be really helpful to parents and kids. My own parents did this during the lockdown and it was a nice experience for them as well.

Our village has a church which has volunteers to shop for people who can't get out of the house. They also distribute food parcels if necessary.

Sorry to be so gloomy, but a lady was featured on News at Ten last night, 55, SEN Teacher in London. 55, fit, well, no health conditions whatsoever, died within days of contracting. Looked a bit like me (Im 55 too). Shocked me.

I think we all need to take great care, whatever our age.

If via school you might need DBS to do anything with children including via zoom.

I've got a DBS check. If you've got one for other work, does it cover you for everything?
I suppose I could check if any of the local schools need support?
I'm not very well up on Zoom and am definitely not a teacher in anyway so would be worried I'd be more of a hindrance than help!

Could you post in a Facebook group for your area offering your assistance?

I'm over 60 and volunteer with a Food Bank, rough sleepers, do shopping for neighbours etc ... will do a bit more now that I am back on Furlough. Many communities have local schemes where you can volunteer 'within the guidelines'.

If health allows, could you sign up with the NHS as a vaccine volunteer, to help with the roll out of the vaccine? Different roles available from stewarding, monitoring patients after the injection to actually administering the injection (with training of course).

You can help with the research effort using Cochrane Crowd - link here: crowd.cochrane.org/

They need help identifying COVID-19 studies, and also there is loads of non-COVID work that still needs to be done too

This is going to sound cheesy but smiling and saying hello (from a distance) makes such a difference. An older lady admired dd’s new go kart And said she’d love one when we were out for our exercise yesterday and it made both mine and dd’s day. It turned a gloomy day around and we both arrived home smiling.

I really like the idea of a steward volunteer.
I'm a manager in charity retail so pretty good at organising things and communicating and dealing with people.

This is really nice of you OP.
Help on a food bank or charity helping those struggling. Helping to fill in forms and access the financial help they need, and help to catch those that end up with no job and no furlough and provide some help for them.
This via the phone. As you need to stay home as much as possible. I do not think childcare is an option here, sadly.
I actually think that all these last minute changes in schools do increase the transmissions as people will have to scamper around for solutions, and will end up mixing households, many with older people indeed.

On the first lockdown, we had an employee shielding and a charity called him at work. To find out if he was working, where he was, and contact details. She sounded lovely. We gave her his home contact details. He said he was very glad there was caring people around. He really appreciated it. He lives on his own and could go absolutely nowhere.
That is one good thing coming from this covid nightmare.

'Us oldies' - at 50??? Seriously?
If I wasn't depressed before, I am now.

Lovely thought.
But you can't seriously think of yourself as old at 50?!
Most people of our age still have kids and a job don't they?!