Family visit during coronavirus scare
HOW TO VISIT OLDER RELATIVES SAFELY
Almost looks like Italy, doesn’t it?
No reason you can’t visit – but you can’t come in. My neighbor across the entrance court caught my eye because she was out on her balcony. I thought she was getting some fresh air, and was about to go out and yell Hello! when I noticed the pickup truck and the younger women below.
There is NO substitute for face-to-face human contact, preferably with hugs and touching (many aging people never get touched except by caretakers), but this will do right now.
Video conferences are next best – but I love to see her people making the effort to come see her.
I don’t want my daughter in San Francisco to come do this – it was a SHORT visit – but I’m guessing these visitors came from Davis itself, or somewhere close, and thought to stop and cheer our resident up on their way around town for errands. Very thoughtful.
Social connection in the age of social distancing
I hope to be able to use the indoor therapy pool in the times they’ve selected (during which we recalcitrant disobedient old people will be supervised by staff to ensure proper social distancing). I’ve sent an email off to the staff member who will be the enforcer.
The people here brought this on ourselves! We got a frantic memo yesterday from the director saying residents AND staff have been ignoring the 6 ft. rule. Shame on us!
So now we will be supervised – better than nothing, by far.
I’ve been telling other people for over a week to maintain their distance, but others have not. Sigh.
It will be nice to talk to someone other than the spouse in person.
I think they want us not the use the restrooms or the dressing rooms by the pools (if I’m quoting the memo right), which is just doable. I’m wondering if they’ll allow people into the hot tub one at a time!
That’s the news from Lake URC
Where all the women are strong, the men are nice, and there are no children (points for getting the reference).
Stay well! Stay away from other people, but not too far.
Writing time!
liebjabberings 
I go out in the woods to hunt for mushrooms, and #1 Daughter, who lives next door, comes into the woods and we holler at each other through the trees and underbrush. It gives me the strength to get up and do what needs to be done. 😉
LikeLike
Glad you have one of your children close enough to shout to.
We’re doing video-conferencing, and I worry about youngest daughter, who lives all alone, and is scared of even going out into her apartment building corridors.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Poor girl! I don’t blame her, though. Hurts a mother’s heart.
LikeLike
They don’t warn you about that when you have kids – but it is often then when we realize what we did to our own parents.
LikeLiked by 1 person
We were supposed to go swimming as a family last Sunday. Even then, we all wondered at what risk? and did not go. Of course, now the Y is closed.
I have enjoyed the news stories like this one, with people outside windows and whatnot.
LikeLike
We’re doing the best that we can. A pandemic cannot be wished away – only lived through.
Hope we all survive until a vaccine is regularly available – and I hope they learn enough to make one faster next time (for there WILL be a next times), if that is possible.
We had our warnings with SARS and MERS and Ebola – and stupid governments cut research funds – and completely wasted the time.
Now individuals have to do the worrying, and many will get it wrong.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Don’t make me get political, hm? We were able stop so many others, but it was inevitable — and now we have THIS and HIM and UGH.
LikeLike
I agree. As a scientist, I have strong feelings about an anti-science administration – because of how many people it is hurting, just in this one area.
Scientists watch for and work with REALITY.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Stay safe. I’m sending virtual hugs your way (they are guaranteed virus-free) 🙂
LikeLike
We’re all trying the social distancing – and yet I see residents and staff not even remotely six feet away – which won’t matter if they’re not infected (except as a very bad example), but will overwhelm the efforts of others if they ARE infected.
Everyone has to do their part.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Garrison Keillor FTW!
LikeLike
Yup. Back in the good ‘ol days.
LikeLike