Don't forget about the shut-ins and elderly

[Sparky-(Admin) 19,534]

  My wife and her mom have a strained relationship and don't talk on a daily basis, but yesterday she checked in on her mother who lives alone in a senior housing apartment complex. She dropped off a dozen paperbacks that her mom loves to read. A home health aide shows up three times a week, makes meals, cleans, does laundry AND shops for groceries. Well her mom was on her last roll of TP and the aide shrugged and said there is none to buy (she isnt lying). Wife came back home and grabbed one of our 4 packs and brought it over. 

  Made me wonder how many older folks in that complex don't have anyone checking on them and rely on an aide who face it...isn't family. Many don't have the means to go out and drive around to hit 3 or 4 stores searching for that elusive roll of TP or some other necessity. 

  If you have some old folks in your neighborhood, you know the nice old couple that you wave at when you drive by and they always wave back with a smile... maybe check in to see that they are not suffering. 

 We will get thru this!!

[WHNJ701 4,164]

one thing we saw, and I going to have my kids do this is draw a nice picture or make card and send to a care center or nursing home for random patients, since they cut off all visitors 

[SylvanLakeWH 24,118]

Many older folks are also a phone call or email away...

 

Just a thought - maybe increase the frequency of your calls to older family / friends who are now essentially on lock-down...

 

Or dare I say - write them a letter or send them a card...

 

Will make their day! 

 

Edited March 17, 2020 by SylvanLakeWH

[Cvans 1,009]

Being older I found this post to be very heartwarming. Thanks for your thoughtfulness. 

[rmaynard 14,888]

I don't consider myself elderly (70), or infirmed, but this morning I found a can of Lysol spray sitting on the bench under my deck.  Our kids are constantly checking on us, and it is appreciated.

[Pullstart 59,651]

I just sent a message to an old guy down the street.  I’m sure it made him smile.  He’s a great friend to have and just chat with.

[WHNJ701 4,164]

I guess growing next door to my grandparents, I learned to respect my elders.  my first house , my neighbor was a single old guy ex Korea navy guy.  he knew my grandfather from the mill.  as he got older I cut his grass and fixed whatever for him, as his health declined his daughter moved him out west, before he left he handed me his navy tour book from the coral sea and his duffle bag with all the ports and dates.  it's one of my favorite books to look through.  he passed on 2 years ago.  

[Pullstart 59,651]

My friend Jerry was the guy who used his old JD “B” to plow our entire road when we had real winters.  He told me a couple years back that he’s always wondered who “that guy” would be when he couldn’t any longer.  I’ve been clearing his drive and doing little odds and ends for him for a couple years now.  We find random muffins, pies, etc at our door quite often as a thank you... though learning from him is thanks enough!

[SALTYWRIGHT 859]

I USED TO PLOW4 DRIVEWAYS ON MY ROAD. NOW THAT I AM 91 I CAN NOT DO IT, BUT NOW SOME OF THEM HELP ME OUT. WHEN I GET TO SOME TRACTOR MEETS THE GUYS HELP ME. WHEN I WAS NOT ABLE TO LOAD A TRACTOR TO RIDE MIKE (SPARKY) HAD ONE THERE FOR ME TO RIDE. 

[Sparky-(Admin) 19,534]

30 minutes ago, SALTYWRIGHT said:

WHEN I GET TO SOME TRACTOR MEETS THE GUYS HELP ME. WHEN I WAS NOT ABLE TO LOAD A TRACTOR TO RIDE MIKE (SPARKY) HAD ONE THERE FOR ME TO RIDE. 

Anytime Russ...anytime

[oliver2-44 8,852]

People caring like this is what makes this site so much more than a internet tractor site. 

[ohiofarmer 3,157]

I guess that i could call myself a shut in.  The closest town only has a dollar store for groceries, and a bank for my money in that I still need to cash checks. There is a hardware store that has everything carded and thus costs way too much. the Dollar store creeps me out because it is too cramped, but they have bleach and noone else does

  I do know where to get hand sanitizer, but it is not in its original form and not labeled as such.  I think that people are acting insane when they put themselves at risk by standing in huge masses to buy toilet paper .   I don't really know how to feel even handling cash money.  that is why it is nice to have some old money saved up around for emergencies that has not been in circulation for a year. Currency can be washed in soapy hot water and laid out to dry without damage. I take the edge of a credit card to touch the buttons at the gas station and use the hand sanitizer they have for that purpuse to clean it. I can live easily without toilet paper by using cloth and washing it after soaking all the solids away. I can live in the shop to keep my wife healthy and we will use phones to keep going with our lives. Then if she gets sick, i will be able to care for her.

  As for shut ins, i am not so sure that a card is the thing to send. You have to think how many hands that card goes through, including yours. My mom missed her 100th birthday party by a day. Lockdown was only 12 hours before we were taking her out for her party with 60 people. She was waiting for a whole year for this party, although we did have one last year. It does no good to call her on the phone because her hearing even with hearing aids is not up to it.  I am certain that it will add to her depression, but when you consider that most assisted living facilities probably have a common heating duct system, it would be horrible at the rate of the spread of the disease. we are seeing that happen in a nursnig home in Troy, Ohio right now.

 

 If things get any worse at all, i will simply go to the farm and get a deer , season or not. I will take it from the barn hay mow with a 1/2 MOA rifle and carry an old beater rifle to the kill in case it would be confiscated.  That would be an extreme case, after all other options were exhausted. we do have some advantages out here in Deploraville, Ohio in that our neighbors have eggs for sale and we do not have to go to the grocery to buy meat. We keep potatoes and canned goods around and have the means  to protect ourselves

 

 I called my doctor today for advice on how to best survive the illness should it strike, They returned the call with "Take Tylenol or Motrin--and rest-that's all"  

 All I can really conclude is that there is really no help for us but to live or die --just stay home to do it.  They were testing for COVID by doctors orders , but that was suspended to the public in favor of first responders and admitted hospital patients. Everything changes. Everyday

https://www.dayton.com/news/local/son-father-can-see-due-coronavirus-feel-bad-for-him-miss-him-and-know-sad-and-scared/E52PFLjpDqzZ5JRycqreiP/

Mom is the second story in the article

 

Edited March 20, 2020 by ohiofarmer

[The Tuul Crib 7,332]

On 3/20/2020 at 12:01 PM, ohiofarmer said:

I guess that i could call myself a shut in.  The closest town only has a dollar store for groceries, and a bank for my money in that I still need to cash checks. There is a hardware store that has everything carded and thus costs way too much. the Dollar store creeps me out because it is too cramped, but they have bleach and noone else does

  I do know where to get hand sanitizer, but it is not in its original form and not labeled as such.  I think that people are acting insane when they put themselves at risk by standing in huge masses to buy toilet paper .   I don't really know how to feel even handling cash money.  that is why it is nice to have some old money saved up around for emergencies that has not been in circulation for a year. Currency can be washed in soapy hot water and laid out to dry without damage. I take the edge of a credit card to touch the buttons at the gas station and use the hand sanitizer they have for that purpuse to clean it. I can live easily without toilet paper by using cloth and washing it after soaking all the solids away. I can live in the shop to keep my wife healthy and we will use phones to keep going with our lives. Then if she gets sick, i will be able to care for her.

  As for shut ins, i am not so sure that a card is the thing to send. You have to think how many hands that card goes through, including yours. My mom missed her 100th birthday party by a day. Lockdown was only 12 hours before we were taking her out for her party with 60 people. She was waiting for a whole year for this party, although we did have one last year. It does no good to call her on the phone because her hearing even with hearing aids is not up to it.  I am certain that it will add to her depression, but when you consider that most assisted living facilities probably have a common heating duct system, it would be horrible at the rate of the spread of the disease. we are seeing that happen in a nursnig home in Troy, Ohio right now.

 

 If things get any worse at all, i will simply go to the farm and get a deer , season or not. I will take it from the barn hay mow with a 1/2 MOA rifle and carry an old beater rifle to the kill in case it would be confiscated.  That would be an extreme case, after all other options were exhausted. we do have some advantages out here in Deploraville, Ohio in that our neighbors have eggs for sale and we do not have to go to the grocery to buy meat. We keep potatoes and canned goods around and have the means  to protect ourselves

 

 I called my doctor today for advice on how to best survive the illness should it strike, They returned the call with "Take Tylenol or Motrin--and rest-that's all"  

 All I can really conclude is that there is really no help for us but to live or die --just stay home to do it.  They were testing for COVID by doctors orders , but that was suspended to the public in favor of first responders and admitted hospital patients. Everything changes. Everyday

https://www.dayton.com/news/local/son-father-can-see-due-coronavirus-feel-bad-for-him-miss-him-and-know-sad-and-scared/E52PFLjpDqzZ5JRycqreiP/

Mom is the second story in the article

 

Hello all. Just wanted to send you a note saying that I feel for your wife and what she's going through with her mother. I myself went through the same thing with my mother but we weren't in a crisis like we are now. And I could not imagin not being able to go visit her from time to time.

although towards the end of the Alzheimer's my mother had I lived in Tennessee and she was in Iowa. And that made it worse for me. it hurt me the most when my mother did not know who I was and I cried for days. I miss my folks dearly and wish I could still say hello on the phone at least. When my mom passed away it was a year to the day my father died and I think it was mostly just for missing her they were together over 50 years. and tell Deb my thoughts and prayers will go to her and her family and all of you. 
God bless us all

Be safe

[ohiofarmer 3,157]

7 hours ago, The Tool Crib said:

Hello all. Just wanted to send you a note saying that I feel for your wife and what she's going through with her mother. I myself went through the same thing with my mother but we weren't in a crisis like we are now. And I could not imagin not being able to go visit her from time to time.

although towards the end of the Alzheimer's my mother had I lived in Tennessee and she was in Iowa. And that made it worse for me. it hurt me the most when my mother did not know who I was and I cried for days. I miss my folks dearly and wish I could still say hello on the phone at least. When my mom passed away it was a year to the day my father died and I think it was mostly just for missing her they were together over 50 years. and tell Deb my thoughts and prayers will go to her and her family and all of you. 
God bless us all

Be safe

      Well thanks, but my mom is Eileen  and they interviewed my sister, Phyllis. [ there are three families in this article]  Your comments are appreciated and certainly run true with my dad. 

 

 Anyway we have plenty of meat in the freezer--18 pounds of pulled pork from the did not happen birthday party

 

[Stormin 9,975]

  I know how you felt about your mother, Randy. My father had Alzheimers and towards the end didn't know me either. Thought I was his younger brother.

  Although the kids can't visit us, they phone nearly every day and ask if there's anything we need. Usually when we've just sat down to dinner.  We appreciate their concern, makes a change from them wanting something. Carol is not yet 70 and we both have good health. No underlying ailments and quite fit. They make us feel we are on our last legs. Wouldn't be without any of them though.

[Cvans 1,009]

50 minutes ago, Stormin said:

They make us feel we are on our last legs. Wouldn't be without any of them though.

Isn't that the truth. Ours are worried about us also but that's a lot better than not wanting anything to do with us. Gotta love them for their concerns.