It's already depressing me

I rang my sons to advise them to cancel Sunday visit. One of them turned up wearing disposable rubber gloves.

Now here's thing I had not known, which he told me ,and it is really useful to know:

Long enough washing with soap and water does not only get rid of dirt and sweat containing virus. It also actually kills virus by stripping off the fatty surface of them.

Thank you Alexa , I needed those x

By the time I've gone through ( tidied ) my photo's cupboard and reminisced in between, the 4 months will be up !. No kidding, there are hundreds and many loose which need putting into the empty albums.

In between, I can walk up and down the garden to keep the circulation going and get some deep breathing done.
I feel for anyone living in blocks of flats with no garden space/outlet or balcony, it would drive me mad.

I can't afford to get anxious or anything because it starts my A/F which can end up me being admitted into resus to be stabilized/cardioversion so I don't want that to happen. At least I have an emergency link which is like having another " body " in the home.

I am used to being on my own and it doesn't bother me unduly as D works and also looks after / fosters 3 of my GGC ( her GC ) so I'd never bother/worry her in any way. Whatever happens I will myself to remain well for her sake and so be it.

Feeling totally fed up. We were going to fly to Malta on Friday for a week. But Malta has said anyone coming into the country has to isolate for 2 weeks. And here lies the problem. Ryanair will not refund as they are still flying but will change our flights. The travel insurance will not refund or change the dates to another trip. The hotel was the best bit they just cancelled, no charge. If the government would advise us not to travel to Malta we could have our money backbit they haven't.

So now after being on the laptop and phone for over 3 hours I am going out for a walk, shop and coffee armed with gloves and mask.

I agree with Monica totally

I have anxiety and depression and after counselling I had turned a corner, was looking forward to moving house and a Easter break both now are on hold until whenever.

My coffee shops buddies I have now swapped phone numbers with so we can phone and text once the coffee shops close as not knowing how they are doing would be horrendous for me as the laughs we have I will miss.

Great reply

25Avalon Great reply. Thanks

Doorstop, don't apologise for posting, that's what GN is all about!
It's lovely to have new members with fresh ideas, welcome!

Thanks curvygran! Anyone for coffee?

Quite frankly how is this going to be enforced? Prison, fines? We all have to know our own limitations but some of us at 70 are healthier than those in their 50s and 60s!

Just taken a parcel in for my son where you have to sign with your fingernail! Groan! Yes I have washed my hands and sung Happy Birthday!

Hi I just read 70 will be find £1000 if they go out is this true or rumours.

I live on my own the the prospect of not seeing family for four months is horrific. Also my son works in the hospitality industry and thinks that his company will probably have to close as there is no work at the moment. Thee are many chores like sorting out the attic that I could do but not feeling very motivated at the moment. Difficult not to feel scared and depressed.

Mat Hancock has retracted his silly edict. He meant social distancing not isolation for those over 70. So you can go out for a walk in the country just keep your distance. That I can handle. Not being able to walk for a couple of hours a day with my dogs would have been very harmful. I mean accepting help with dogs and shopping when you are ill is welcome but not because you have reached 70! What would Jeremy Corbyn and Prince Charles and Camilla done - mind you they have enough land....thank goodness it has been corrected.

Well we must wait until the Govt instructions are clearer. But I hope they will trust us to be responsible. For instance, I can't see how going for a walk early or late - not in the town centre - can be harmful.
I really worry about loneliness, also the loss of physical fitness.

Yes, I have to agree with everyone, I am bored already. I live alone in a very small flat. I DO have a large park across the road and I could sit in the garden. I think we should start some kind of telephone arrangement between us, so we could maybe ring each other occasionally and that would keep us company, but not sure how we would arrange it....sorry.

Thanks grannyactivist I have joined silversurfers which should keep me occupied. I have just taken my first step to self isolation, I have had my acrylic nails removed. I couldn't stand to look at them growing out over the next 4- months

I have plans to finish my patchwork quilt. I have sorted all sorts of dvds out....discovered my box set of The Good Life. I am clearing the sheltered cratch of my boat out so that I can sit there and sew and watch the water. I have a garden mooring so will spend time working on that and sitting out there in the shade of the willow tree. It will be ok. I am thinking positive. Positivity is important at this time. We will get through this.

A good free over 50 chat site is Buzz50. You can have serious discussions there or more light hearted chat. It is very well moderated.

Some great replies to my post. Thanks everyone.

We are all in the same boat and I for one would rather self isolate by working from home but no I have to go in. Which is scary because I have to be very caution if I want to see my elderly parents. I am single and on my own.
Gransnet is going to be a lifeline for alot or all of us. But please remember through this chat no one is alone and we are all going to suffer in one way or another.

As a note of balance here, l live alone and have never been lonely. The thought of being isolated does not bother me one bit. I have stacks of books, plenty of decorating to do and l have a phone to chat to my friends.
Please don't think l am being insensitive, but what is so wrong with enjoying your own company? How can you be bored with all the books that are available, both on-line and in shops and libraries if they are still open?
I do feel sorry for people whose travel/entertainment plans etc that have been scuppered, and left feeling fed up with all the doom and gloom, and knowing you are unable to do a thing about it.
But as a small counter balance to the worry of loneliness, some of us just aren't.

We are in the position of being at the top,of the chain for moving. There are four in the chain and we don’t want to let everyone down. Unfortunately we lost one that we had bid for It looks as though we shall have to go into rented accommodation until something we like comes up. We are both in our early 80’s and extremely active, out walking every day, like plenty of fresh air and even if it means going out in the very early morning or late at night we will need to go out. Occasionally see folk and they all say the same as us, they will be going out sensibly whatever.

I am 81 and my husband is 87 but still fairly active.

I had 3 theatre trips booked for next month so am very disappointed that they will not be going ahead

Just hope we are able to keep safe and the country does not end up like Italy

I fear that it is inevitable that 4 months in isolation - if it comes - will take a significant toll on mental health. We're not designed to function like that as we're social animals, and being denied human contact will be hard to cope with. Yes, we can all try to maximise the diversional therapy, but that will only help up to a point, and then we will have to fall back on our reserves. Unfortunately, some people don't have much of a reserve available, and may already be struggling, without the added impact of this awful virus. Are the authorities already on to this, and do they have contingency plans to provide emotional support? I haven't seen anything along those lines, and suspect that there could be a major, widespread need in the 70-plus population in particular for such assistance. It's all very well to broadcast platitudes about a "blitz mentality" and how "pulling together" will get us through, but this isn't 1940 and society is very different now. Worrying times...