It's already depressing me

If the aim is social distancing, perhaps rather than face masks, we should go for wearing giant hoops or crinolines....or a more trendy beeper if we go too close to someone.

I’m just taking each day as it comes. Thinking about isolation isn’t good. We don’t know what will happen. It may be we can make the most of it by catching up with friends by phone or letter. Learn new skills. Do things we never seem to have time to get round to. Make a “Today I achieved....” list which you can look back on. Keep active, keep busy!

I watched Dr Sarah Jarvis this morning on the Jeremy Vine show. (Must be desperate to watch that!)

Anyway...she was absolutely ferocious and draconian, saying the over 70’s must not even go into their garden unless they kept a 2metre distance from other people.

I think this is a step too far. I am all for being responsible, but this is far too strict. No one will follow these over the top rules.

Have any of you that are in despair at the thought of spending 4 months in 'isolation' ( it's not isolation) read An Evil Cradling by Brian Keenan?
For those of you that haven't it's the story of his 4year captivity with John McCarthy.
What they would have given for just one of the benefits that we have in our own homes while we are in this so called 'isolation'

My DH has dementia and anxiety, the only way I can cope is when he goes to clubs etc or when the carers come for a couple of hours so am not looking forward to him being around moaning and worrying all day.i volunteer in reception class at the local school and it is my lifeline. We live with DdAnd teenage GSs so not totally alone. I think we can take the dogs out for walks as we live in Wiltshire and there is a lot of country. I may shout more than usual, actually I will shout more than usual! Not a natural carer me?

OCD, Paranoia, general health anxiety, depression to name but a few mental health problems. Hopefuly though we wont get this virus x

That’s a lovely idea GramCC.
Yes....all those on the front line really need our help and support.
Please don’t forget the hard working and under publicised District Nurses out in the community.

I have self-isolated at my family's request. I have suspended my two gym memberships Also my Silver Swans Ballet classes. My husband has set up a scaffolding trestle for me to use as a ballet barre, with Utube ballet instruction and my lovely SS ballet teacher has promised to film any new things taught in my class and to send them on whatsup. I am looking forward to more time in the garden and have spent all morning cancelling things I normally do. Early days yet but I can think of lots of things to do with the newly freed up time.

Anniebach Your granddaughter would still be allowed to come to you, I'm sure. I'm living in lockdown in Italy and "care of a relative" is a valid motive for circulating.

I m sure you will be fine going for walks. I live on the coast and walked my dgs down to our local harbour earlier.
So many.of us have family dependent upon us for childcare and I don t see a way around it.
I plan to carry on as normal and hope for the best.

If you have the Internet, television, radio, telephone and above all books, there is no reason to be bored indoors. I’ve been in this situation for a very long time, with family 200 miles away. I am hardly ever bored.

I’m glad I live on my own, though. Being incarcerated with someone else, however nice, would be much more irritating!

Well said Thecatshatontgemat
And think how much luckier we are now if we have to self isolate than we would have been years ago - no TV, no internet, no facetime or skype......

www.youtube.com/watch?v=tN7LG4lKgY8&feature=youtu.be

This might be helpful?

I don't think a re run of " people have it much worse than you" is really doing much right now.

No Whitewavemark2,thats a moneytree

There is a great deal of generally disparaging talk about 'only' children, but facing the possibility of being walled-up for four months, the advantages come into their own. I enjoy my own company and am resourceful at /occupying entertaining myself, and although I don't welcome the prospect of self-isolation it doesn't fill me with gloom.

I live in the states and so far there have been
58 cases of the virus in just my state. I understand what has been said here about isolation and loneliness. Mom is 91 and I can’t see her. The one thing that is keeping me going is that I have chores and hobbies to do. But thinking of how good I have it compared to the poor and people of the Holocaust who suffered , I won’t complain. I have food to keep me from hunger and a warm safe house. Although scared, I am thankful.

My friend and I discussed this yesterday. We are both 71, live alone, very fit and healthy and do a lot of socialising with each other and with others. We are going to continue with our morning exercise classes, albeit alone in our sitting rooms, we both have gardens that we will be able to spend lots of time in. Her sequence dance classes are being posted online, as are my Linedancing classes. We will FaceTime each other and our families and will catch up on paperwork, decorating, sewing and knitting. I’m not looking forward to it, but feel better for having a plan.

I have the CV at the moment (62 and in great health) . I’m really fine. My husband (63) a bit more challenged as he has MS but he too is getting through it. We are estimating a full return to health by the end of this week.
So what happens next for us? Hardly any point in remaining in isolation on a vague idea that ‘we might get it again’.

I’m right in the thick of it in Lombardy,Italy.
We have been asked to stay in except for food or medicinal reasons. Newsagents are also open. You are allowed to take your dog out but not too far from home. Seeing the state of the hospitals here now and the incredible job the doctors and nurses are doing it doesn’t seem much to ask to stay inside. 4 months does sound a lot though hope it doesn’t come to that here. Today is the first day with less admissions to intensive care...only 1 less but it’s a start hopefully.
Saw on twitter yesterday ‘ grandparents were asked to go to war for their country, we’re only being asked to sit on the settee and watch tv’ so not so bad.
Giulia where are you ?

Granny activist, thank you for that link which I shall certainly look into. And of course we have our forums here. Pantglas2, I know what you mean, and I got quite excited yesterday thinking about what I intend to do! I think the worst thing will be lack of real face-to-face contact, but there's always face time. We are so, so lucky these days with all the technology we have at our fingertips. One thing that does worry me though is how I will get my hair cut! It grows so quickly I'll look like goodness knows what! But then again, nobody will see me ???. As someone has already said, though - the most important thing is to keep busy and change every negative thought into a positive one whenever you can x

I too am depressed and/or anxious - would not be so bad for a month or even two but 4 months!!!! Will we all be sane by then? Glad I found this website -don't feel I am in this quite on my own any more.{smile]

eazybee and Grandma70s Very good posts - I totally agree.

Buddly Hi! I'm 30km North of Rome. When I saw you are in Lombardy my heart went out to you.

My husband and I are both in mid seventies. Daughter with three very small children in different comune (where there are CV cases) so cannot visit.

Not complaining though.

Let's keep in touch. Will send you a private message.

Did anyone else see Kelvin McKenzie's outburst? www.express.co.uk/showbiz/tv-radio/1252705/GMB-Piers-Morgan-Susanna-Reid-coronavirus-news-Kelvin-McKenzie-China-ITV-video

PauliLenney I’m glad you have only mild symptoms but let’s not forget that it’s not like that for everyone. Even younger people can become very ill indeed. What worries me is thought of me or MrA being on a respirator in hospital (provided the NHS could treat us of course), all alone and unable to have visits from our nearest & dearest.

MerylStreep I completely agree with you. Surely now is the time we should be counting our blessings - at least we’re still here and I imagine the majority of us are fortunate enough to have reasonably comfortable and pleasant homes to be in. I’m reminded of the favourite sayings of the mother of one of my dear friends.
‘Enjoy every minute, it will never come again.’
I realised today that email and text messages had taken over as my preferred means of communication, when I phoned my friend to suggest that we should forgo our lunch out together on Thursday. It was supposed to have been her birthday present.
We were on the phone for half an hour, not the same as a face-to-face natter, but nearly as good.
I think people who aren’t already suffering loneliness & isolation needn’t feel that now, just because of the virus. There are plenty of ways to keep in touch with friends.