Coronavirus (COVID – 19) will impact on all of our lives. Turn the telly on and we are bombarded with images of other countries in lock down, daily updates on those with the virus and those who have died from it. In the UK those over 70 years old, or with under-lying health conditions or who are pregnant are already being asked to stay at home. Reducing our contact with others is our ‘collective’ best chance to minimise the number of people contracting the virus and allow our NHS to help those in need.
Socially isolating will impact on our mental and physical health and this is especially true for families affected by dementia. Over the last couple of days, Amanda and Rachel have been asking carers about the pandemic.
How staying at home is affecting me and my loved one:
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Not having the pressure of going to work and juggling life has helped my stress levels.
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Being at home has given me more time to think and reflect, especially about looking after myself.
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I’ve not been able to leave my Mum for years, self-isolation isn’t new to me. It’s something have had to get used to and its part of my `normal’ daily life.
We’ve asked our carers for some top tips to staying well at home:
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Make your own physical timetable for the day, e.g. lunch at 12.30pm, Pilates at 2.30pm etc.
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Keep to a routine. It could be so easy to stay in bed and hide away though getting up in a morning and eating a healthy breakfast sets me up for the day.
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Connecting with others by telephone, text, video, email or social media.
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Exercise- 5-10 minutes walking up and down the stairs or a walk in the garden a couple of times a day.
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Learn a new hobby or skill that you’ve always wanted to do i.e. knitting, cooking, playing a ukulele etc.
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Get on with jobs around the house, spring clean by cleaning/sorting cupboards, painting and decorating.
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Make bird feeders and hang them near to where you can see them from inside.
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Watch or catch up on your favourite soaps/films/drama series.
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Read a book or magazine, do a crossword, jigsaw or sketch/draw.
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Reminiscence, go through photographs and sort them into albums.
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Have a wardrobe sort out – an excuse to buy new clothes when you can.