How are over 80s getting the virus?

[MummaBear4321]

PHE reported today that cases in all age groups decreased between the 1st and 10th of January, except for the over 80s. How is this age group still getting so many infections? They should be isolating/shielding surely, especially as their vaccine and protection is basically around the corner if not already in place? Is it professional carers bringing it from house to house? Are care homes still riddled with it (I thought with no visitors and proper hygiene they would have had less infections by now)? Is it that this age group are simply not complying with rules? Anyone know?

In the case of a friend who died recently, it was a carer in his care home. She was asymptomatic, so she couldn't have known she had it; one of her regular tests showed she was positive. Sadly by then the damage was done, for my friend and a number of others - they already had vaccine appointments. I don't see what could have been done differently to be honest, but sadly his situation isn't unusual.

My dm goes out daily to get a paper but she says there’s never anyone else in the shop and she normally leaves the money on the counter. Cant see paper fetching as a major contributor. And it doesn’t transmit on bags etc so it’s not deliveries.
Appointments at hospital are still happening - I’ve got one soon! I think it’s that. Plus my df was still shooting around on buses until lockdown, I see a lot of elderly on buses.

FIL got it from carers coming in. He had been housebound for months. He tested positive when he went into hospital for an unrelated issue (which he died of in hospital, sadly). He was asymptomatic but by the time the test was done had given it to DH, who was understandably allowed to visit him in hospital. DH passed it to me and 3 year old DS, DS passed it to my parents who are my childcare.

My parents are in their 60s and thankfully ok now but I was furious that this had been allowed to happen.

And FIL was 86.

@MummaBear4321

Care homes having it is pretty infuriating. My DM works in a care home in Ireland and they have managed to go the whole pandemic without one case. They are super on top of testing staff, no visitors, and hammering home that people dont come in if they feel sick at all. They are also giving the vaccine to care homes first, before the wider community. Care homes should be a priority.

The care home where DH works had also been super careful. They have had a couple of staff test positive, separately, and a couple of residents, back in October. Otherwise, nothing.

But families put a huge amount of pressure on to be allowed visits. So a pod was installed, and visits allowed, starting a couple of weeks before Christmas.

Just after Christmas, they were in outbreak. Most of the staff have tested positive - including DH, who passed it to me. 15% of residents have died and it may not be over yet.

The suspicion is that the measures they’ve been taking until now are not adequate against the new variant. The staff are gutted - most of them have mixed so little outside of work, precisely so as to protect the residents.

The company was accused of cruelty not allowing families in. Cant win.

If care homes have staff like my neighbours then it's no wonder.

My NDN is a carer and has had on average 2/3 parties a month since last March. Last time the police chapped on her door & 2 of her friends there were also carers

The elderly are congregating in super markets & garden centres, they just don't get the risks that they are taking.

@bathorshower

In the case of a friend who died recently, it was a carer in his care home. She was asymptomatic, so she couldn't have known she had it; one of her regular tests showed she was positive. Sadly by then the damage was done, for my friend and a number of others - they already had vaccine appointments. I don't see what could have been done differently to be honest, but sadly his situation isn't unusual.

That’s so sad :(

Everyone i know over 75 has multiple health issues. They are the group most likely to need to access hospitals and GP surgeries. And hospitals are full of covid.

62% of Irish deaths in wave 1 were linked to care homes (eek)

Bloody hell, you'd be forgiven for thinking everyone in their 80s is decrepit, in a care home or in need of carers at home and having regular hospital admissions if you just read MN. There are plenty of people in their 80s and 90s who are very active, agile even, who don't need help and aren't on medication. There are plenty of independent elderly and old folk who go out and do their own shopping, go for walks etc. They probably catch Covid in the same places that those in their 60s and 70s do.

My father (in his eighties) was in hospital for 10 weeks. First two weeks very little Covid in the hospital, then he ended up sharing a bed bay with 4 consecutive patients who were tested on admission and admitted to a general ward, but when results came back a couple of days later were found to be positive. Dad then tested positive, not known whether caught from staff or another patient. Fast forward a few weeks and whole wards were given over to Covid patients.

To make things worse we were only about to visit for about three of the ten weeks, two at the beginning when the hospital was relatively Covid-free and one when he was end of life.

@Calmandmeasured1, Google nosocomial Covid.

@SkiWays

Google nosocomial Covid.
I know that people (of all ages) are contracting Covid in hospitals. What I am saying is there are many people in their 80s and older who don't have regular hospital admissions. Some have never had a hospital admission and are mobile, independent and haven't any ailments. They aren't all falling apart at the seams.

What about the 106 year old who has had covid twice and still alive.

@jessym
Although it's one of the things that has been suggested the problems in Leicester have little to do with multigenerational living as elderly people weren't really getting the virus in any scale over the summer even when it was abundant within the younger population. The problems in Leicester are a combination of a council that has taught the population to rely on the public sector and gang leaders rather than think for themselves, the acceptance of modern slavery which is basically supported by the council and police, the police in much of the city being controlled by gang masters rather than their bosses meaning they were ignoring blatant violations and generally a population which has been taught by the council to believe that nothing is their fault.

[quote Calmandmeasured1]**@SkiWays

Google nosocomial Covid.
I know that people (of all ages) are contracting Covid in hospitals. What I am saying is there are many people in their 80s and older who don't have regular hospital admissions. Some have never had a hospital admission and are mobile, independent and haven't any ailments. They aren't all falling apart at the seams.[/quote]
@Calmandmeasured1 indeed, but the older you get, the worse your health issues are likely to be.

Over 80s like many of those mentioned on here feel like sitting ducks. Like my FIL - couldn’t leave the house, have a shower himself, go to the toilet himself, he needed carers in. And he needed those carers to be Covid-free but they weren’t. It’s not like he could have said just stop coming.

One aunt keeps going up the shops
Other has a mobile hairdresser in. They didn't wear masks and now the hairdresser is positive.

I said it on a post earlier that there's a misconception that older people are shielding/locked away and reliant on younger people.

My FIL is 82 and has a better social life than me! My dad is 76, loves his gadgets, modern music, cars, and my mother (who is divorced from dad) , 74 was up the pub and online dating earlier this year. In other words, they are very independent and sociable.

My dad (85) caught it after being admitted to hospital just after Christmas, no mixing or bubbles involved. Was negative when tested when he went in, and three days later. Had a test early on day 6 and was cleared fo discharge late afternoon that day to go home to my CEV mum (84) who has not left the house since March. Two, yes TWO, days later got a test & trace text to say 'You're positive, you must isolate' and have then received several t&t texts and calls just checking that they're staying at home ffs!

I have isolated since picking him up and am also now positive, just hoping that we have managed to keep it away from my mum. I have been cleaning & washing everything that moves even though I feel utter crap.

To say that I am fucking angry about it is an understatement.

The answer is all over the headlines today

Carehomes

Not all over 89s are isolated or shielding and

Over 80s

@HouseofBrieandBanter

The answer is all over the headlines today

Carehomes

And how does it get into the care homes?

Through the staff.

Staff that have to travel on public transport, staff that have to go to shops because they need food, alongside people who won't wear a mask, people who won't stay at home, people who do a 'self risk assessment' because they don't know anyone who's vulnerable and they're not bothered about catching the virus. Because care staff have children that have to go to school so they can work.
Because the tests are taking so long to come back (15 days for one in my case) asymptomatic people are still going to work.
How many times have you read on here that people will look after themselves and their mental health first? How many people came on and said they're not changing their Christmas plans because X,Y,Z?
I see a lot of people that won't stick to the rules.
I see a lot of you do you and let other people do them.
And there is probably a proportion of care staff that don't stick to the rules themselves.
But people like me who are concerned about the risk we're being exposed to because of where we work, we're told to stop being hysterical, stop revelling in what lockdown brings, stop being nosy, have compassion for others.
And when it gets into the care home and kills all the residents? Point the finger firmly at the care staff because they must be the ones at fault.

@Akire

I think it’s a scandal that care homes don’t get the same kit as ICU in proper fitted masks, visors etc. When you give close personal care there are risks. Then same carer goes home to their kids the supermarket. So many members of staff and contacts and if you are lucky a plastic pinny and ill fitting mask.

Yes, its shocking. I think people think that the residents go straight to hospital when there is an outbreak, the majority stay in the home and are treated by the care staff.