Proposal that over 70s should be quarantined

[Fairyflaps]

Another unconfirmed leak but reported by Robert Peston on ITV.
Elderly could be quarantined for four months in 'wartime-style' mobilisation to combat coronavirus

For elderly and infirm people still living at home, but dependent an invisible army of younger carers, how can this possibly work?

They are deeply worried that some older people will simply die at home from neglect, after they are quarantined, so want to start the quarantine as late as possible - some time within the next five to 20 days.

My mum is a fit healthy 70+ person. Shes very active and since my dad died has things on most days because shes not good on her own. Being isolated while being good for her health would have an enormous negative impact on her mental health

Petrified. My DF has just been diagnosed with MND and has only months to live. The thought we couldn't be with him during his last few months is even more unbearable than I could even imagine

Worried sick about this. My parents are a long way from my brother and me and although in their late 80s are very active in their community, ministering to others. They live in a place where there are lots of older people. Who's going to tend to all these quarantined older people? They don't have any shopping delivery services (they're on an island). OK, it might reduce their chance of getting the virus, which would undoubtedly hit them hard and tie up a lot of NHS resources, but what about the effect on their general wellbeing if they can't get out and see their friends and maintain their independence? What about basic things like seeing the chiropodist, the dentist, the optician?

At least my parents have each other. Even grimmer for single people living alone.

@Richlyfruited
That sounds awful for you and your family.

We were discussing this idea at work yesterday.

The part I don't like is (suggestion of) compulsory orders to self-quarantine.

@Richlyfruited we are in a similar position. MiL has only months to live. DiL is main carer, supplemented by people coming in to help with cleaning, bathing etc. DiL is already close to breaking point and needs more people coming in to help not less. DH already has leave planned to give him some respite and to spend time with his DM.

We decided today to "move back" to our house tomorrow . I've been living at my parents /mums house for 18 months, helping mum look after dad, who died in January.
I work in a hospital(non clinical) and my husband works in education, so both still working at work for the forseeable.
Really worried, she is 89 and vv poor sight, but worried about being at wotk, and travelling to and from there , then returning to her house, and have decided it is too big a risk.
She has good neighbours, I can leave groceries in her porch, but I worry about impact mentally of her being on her own and all the stuff of dad's /probate that needs to be sorted.

Anyone facing this decision tonight?

@Lifeisdinky not the same situation, but my Dad died last autumn and my DM has struggled with living alone - mentally more than physically although she is disabled.

I told my DM about this proposal and she wasn't impressed, though if it came to it, she would have a friend of a similar age move in so they could support each other. We are still sorting out probate (complicated estate), but I have been helping her out with the admin for that from nearly 200 miles away anyway and we have a solicitor.

I suspect that my DM is not too bothered about the idea of dying from coronavirus. She has already made it clear to us long before this virus even came on the scene that she would not want to be resuscitated if she became seriously ill - this is something she and my DF discussed while he was dying.

How am I supposed to ensure DM with Alzheimer’s 81 isolates herself
She can’t remember anything else!

Can’t work for us . Mum 85 has vascular dementia . She was on the cusp of residential care but was fighting all the way as still deemed to have capacity . She was glitching : sundowning as carer left tonight . A minute later she rang in a panic thinking she was locked in a duplicate house . I’d been there all afternoon . I have primary aged school children . I was one minute in to settling down with kids before having to race out again . I had ambulance paramedics out barely two weeks ago at 3am for heart failure symptoms . I’ve been here all last year . I can only hope if it comes to the crunch in an emergency in the next 3 months she’s afforded dignity and comfort instead of something horrific which is my fear .

My mum is 83 lives with me and my daughter here in London .
She had breast cancer in 2000 ( full mastectomy) and survived that .
Also 2 broken hips but can still get up and down the stairs unaided .
She doesn’t go out that much anyway but that’s her choice.
I personally don’t believe this would ever happen as in my opinion it would be a breach of our Human Rights.

My husband is in his 70s, is terminally ill with MDS and needs weekly blood transfusions to keep him going. What will happen to his treatment? He won't survive the four months without this, and we're so distressed already.. The family won't be able to visit and if the worst happened I wouldn't even be able to attend his funeral.

In many cases the risks associated with socially excluding an older person outweigh the risks of death by coronavirus. Dementia, depression, anxiety all get worse with social exclusion, and there’s also the ‘use it or lose it’ in terms of physical health. Being housebound in a small house for even a short period might cause permanent changes in terms of muscles / bone health.

I think things like social distancing (rather than isolation), proactive handwashing / wearing a mask or gloves, using sanitizer all the time might be more useful as a long term strategy

There are so many extremely fit people over 70 who are stalwarts of the local community and their families.. Many of us are looking after elderly relatives and also grandchildren. Who is going to take care of the elderly if the over 70s have to withdraw. There is not enough staff or funds in Social Welfare to cover the many hours we do for the elderly. They won’t be doing their shopping, taking them to appointments or talking to them for hours on end.

It would make more sense if this Ban applied to the over 80s over 70s with health problems.

My parents are in their early 80s. My dad is so frail following a bad fall last year that even a cold would probably kill him. He only leaves the house for essential medical appointments.

Mum gets out more often but rarely for social purposes. She is very handy in the internet and they only live around the corner.

I am the only person they see on a regular basis and I work in a state school. We've had 11 students/staff/family members have to self isolate as a precaution, 4 of whom had symptoms.

It's hard not to feel very anxious and vulnerable and I really wish they would close our schools. There is plenty of capability for staff and students to work and communicate from home.

We have no other family so if I get it, they have no one to check on them. If they get it, what am I supposed to do, leave them to die alone in their house?

A week ago I was completely unfazed and booking a short break for a few months time to a literary festival. Now I'm terrified.

There is already long thread about this in the Coronavirus topic

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/coronavirus/3848393-Over-70s-to-self-isolate

My colleague's in her 70's and we provide an essential service plus there's a massive shortage of qualified professionals in our profession as it is. Are those still in work going to to be forced into retirement?

@Apolloanddaphne There is also this one on the same subject.
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/coronavirus/3848424-Omg-The-next-step-in-the-strategy-And-if-we-all-stick-together-it-may-work

I have written to my MP on this topic and would encourage all healthy over 70s to do the same. My concern is that this ‘over 70s self isolation’ Will be a directive rather than advice.

Thanks for this supportive thread, I was on one of the other ones, but I think that the people who are saying yes this is a brilliant idea are not the ones coping with the day to day reality of looking after frail older people. We lost my DF a few months ago and my DM in her late 80s is coping with living alone for the first time in her life, having also had two major operations in six months. She has medical appointments of a life or death nature that I need to take her to and I do practical things around the house. At a basic level is her rubbish and laundry expected to pile up for four months?! She barely sees anyone anyway. We are being as risk averse as we can be, but cutting her off completely is unrealistic.

Basically this means sacrificing anyone who needs carers. It's meant to save only the healthy over 70s. These are the people we sacrifice by not locking down. #boristhebutcher indeed.

There's a lot of voluntary services going to close because so many volunteers are over 70 - our local Library for one. And people looking after parks and open spaces - if they're saying people have to stay in their homes, rather than just keep away from other people.

I cannot imagine for one moment my (bright, analytical, opinionated) 77 year old father meekly acceding to an instruction to stay indoors for four months.

Besides which he lives with an under-70 (my mother). He is the driver in the house. They live in a small town and I don’t see the logistics panning out.

Plus, the family that live near them range from 50s to toddlerhood so are they all supposed to stand at the end of the drive every weekend, wave and throw morale-lifting packages?

None of it sounds remotely workable.

Unless the government are going to go the whole hog and intern them all on the Isle of Man. At least there is a blueprint for that

I personally don’t believe this would ever happen as in my opinion it would be a breach of our Human Rights.
It’s advice, not compulsion. But the alternative is going to be much worse.