Don’t want to be offended ... but I am!

Sure there's a slight element of humour in the posting. I'm a similar age and my daughter thought my son should be doing my shopping. That's all very well, but I still have go to work every day! (Very back room NHS).

I am83, just had a request from a niegh bour to pick up some shopping for her.

Oh dear someone is trying to do something thoughtful and helpful and you are offended. If they don't know you that well they may be thinking you might have to isolate due to underlining issues.
Take it on the chin what lovely thoughtful and willing neighbours you have. You could always put a note through their door thanking them very much for being considerate but you're managing ok.

That way they could use there time to find others that really need help.
People like this should be celebrated not taken personally.

I think it’s unlikely to be due to your age and how lovely that you have neighbours who care, the community spirit coming out from this is wonderful to see. Personally I d love someone to come and offer to walk my dogs and feed them because at 63 and having been retired for 18 months I m about to don a nurses uniform ( and PPE hopefully) and head off to work in the Nightingale Hospital that has just been constructed in my home town so let’s not be offended at kindnesses and be thankful and look at the positives ??Xx

Ha...I am (luckily so far) a fit and healthy 73 year old....but in the retirement flats where I live there are many very elderly people. I do not have a car, but help where I can ...it makes me very sad that those who have cars and are still shopping NEVER ask those less able if they would like anything, and other help for them is severely lacking if they have no one ! even the garden is locked and the bench outside is tape up …...people who live on the ground floor with access to the garden are able to enjoy the outside space …...I feel really really sorry for one lady on the top floor who is 96 and alone ….so THINK TWICEA BEFORE YOU buy a retirement flat is all I can say ….I wish I had bought a house now ...but these things never sell …..oh well, we all learn ...but I am so so surprised by the lack of friendly helpful neighbours ! I would buy a car tomorrow, but having not driven in the UK for 21 years it somewhat puts me off ….as does the hassle to change my European licence for a British one ……...but if I could help them with shopping I would love to do so ….also sadly too old to volunteer in the NHS …….stay safe and remember those less fortunate !

I would be very grateful for the offer. It means they are caring helpful people , and that's what the country needs right now.

That was a caring gesture made by your neighbour I would have been touched if they had put a note through my door.
Here am I living alone in my early sixties. I have some medical problems but not enough to put me in the high risk groups. I have had to go out and get food supplies, medication, etc. I have my dogs and do enjoy the exercise slot so they can go out for a walk. I have had no notes, contacts from anybody around-about my community who has made any offers of help.

I actually have bought some extra shopping for my daughter when out as with three young children she is struggling and I take it and leave it outside her front door.
I am now getting bored and have been wondering where I can offer my services and maybe deliver medication or food to those who cannot get out.

Yes I am possibly regarded as over the hill at over 60 years but I am not ready for the zimmer frame yet. I fight on.

Offended? Over an offer of help? Surely not. You're joking, right?

Shirls52000; Well done for getting back to work at a time when the country needs you. It sounds like you are in the London area so that is some distance from me. I am in Buckinghamshire but if I was nearer I would certainly help out to walk your dogs.
Put the word about and I am sure you will find some help, maybe send some e-mails to some of those people that do professional dog-walking and I think they would be happy to help you out (free of charge) in exchange for what you are doing right now.

This is when I’m really glad to be living in a village. Our residents’ group put out a leaflet to every house just before lockdown giving a number for people to call if they were struggling with prescription collection, groceries from village shop or even just needed a phone call. We have a group of healthier and younger volunteers, so we put out the request on our private WhatsApp group and someone will pick up on the task. I’ve been looking after the phone line and I’m pleased to say that we’ve only had 12 requests in over two weeks and 2 of them were from people volunteering. The village is being wonderfully supportive of neighbours and friends and we’re here as a backup if needed.

I think it was a thoughtful gesture. You need to remember that we never know when we might need help whatever our age. My very agile and youthful friend had spent all winter in her house after a nasty break to her leg and knee. She was so grateful for the help of neighbours.

That is wonderful having offers of help, it shows that there are kind people out there.
I am sure it is nothing to do with age at all.....

We did all the shopping for my 30 yr old DD and her family unit as they were self isolating. Now DD is back at work she has kindly offered to help with shopping and dog walking for a couple of neighbours as they have no family. I think she’s really kind as she is a full-time frontline nhs worker and she would be upset if she had offended her neighbours.

I am 53 and apart from being very overweight considered myself fit and well. In February I came down with two viruses in quick succession (I now think the second infection was Coronavirus but this hasn’t been confirmed). I was not treated for either virus and one/both had a catastrophic effect on my health. I have been left with heart failure and am awaiting a rather alarming medical procedure in which my heart will be stopped under sedation and restarted to get it back into rhythm. It has been a hard lesson in not taking your health for granted. I am now one of those people would be classed as vulnerable - not how I saw myself at all. So I will never again make assumptions and be thankful of any offers of support

They have reached out to you with the spirit of good neighbors so I think that you should respond in kind. No one knows when they may need assistance and age is really nothing to do with it. You should acknowledge their thoughtfulness when you are able to.

Definitely very kind. My dad is 86, lives alone and not a single person knocked on his door. I go down once a week and leave him his food supply and phone every other day. Good neighbours are hard to come bye no matter your age.

your neighbours may have offered to help because you live on your own? or possibly they hope you will offer to help them if they need to self isolate. where I live people of all different ages are helping young and older neighbours .... nothing to do with age .. just being good neighbours.

I am so lucky and grateful. The day before the lockdown was announced, 3 neighbours contacted me to ask how they could help. Then others have popped up to offer help too. Some of whom are the same age or older than me! I was very touched and full of gratitude.

Offended? You're joking, right? Someone is kind and helpful which is wonderful. Being offended is a choice! Choose to be pleased and grateful instead.

We are the oldest in our area of 120 houses and had two offers of help should we be 'stuck'. One was from a nurse who has a toddler, husband works and they
share childminding, don't think I would be asking them to help, other is from a stay at home mum who just never seems to know what day it is so that is a non starter. Think we would be dead behind doors and no one would notice. All to busy playing music and clapping for key workers!

That was very nice of your 2 neighbours

My daughter (39 and a doctor), gathered emails/phone numbers for everyone in her street (lots over 70) saying folk could email the group if they needed help and some of the younger/fitter ones would get shopping, prescriptions etc.
When we had gone over to drop off something my daughter needed (a few weeks ago), we had just dropped the stuff off on her doorstep and got back in the car when a gentleman in his eighties came along. He went and knocked on my daughter's door. As she was out, I got out the car and called over to ask if I could help.
He said he was from 3 doors up and had got her message, but he wouldn't be able to help to get shopping as he didn't keep very well and was just letting her know.
When I explained it was to provide a means for anyone in the street to get help, not just for those who were able to give the help , he looked so relieved and his face broke into a huge smile. He was very grateful!

One of our neighbours was very shocked when she was told my DH is in shielded group asked why as he looked fine to her and not that old. Asked wrong person 17 year old GD she got told .

I am self isolating due to various health conditions, I moved into a new house on February 12th and know nobody, I would be so grateful for people offering a helping hand, please don't be offended look on it as a fractured society healing in places

I remember when minis came out and I saw an old woman with a baby in a pram wearing a mini skirt. I thought it was awful. She must have been all of 25!
Same thing really. We're all old to those 10 years younger than us.