Elderly father putting himself at risk
Dear Annie: I am so concerned for my elderly loved ones during this pandemic, my father in particular. He’s 89 and lives in a retirement community. As of today, they’re still allowing them to go to the dining hall. They’ve reduced the number of tables and seating by half so that everyone can be spaced out. However, it seems like such a huge and unnecessary risk, given their age group. I’ve urged him to stay at his house (he has a little stand-alone unit on the campus), but he refuses to listen. What can I do to get him to take this seriously?
Distressed Daughter
Dear Distressed: You might share with your father that these are the groups at high risk for severe illness from COVID-19 (list courtesy of Cdc.gov):
People aged 65 years and older.
■
People who live in a nursing home or longterm
■ care facility.
People with chronic lung disease or moderate ■ to severe asthma.
People who have heart disease with complications.
■
People who are immunocompromised
■ including cancer treatment.
People of any age with severe obesity or
■ certain underlying medical conditions, particularly if not well controlled, such as those with diabetes, renal failure or liver disease, might also be at risk.
People who are pregnant should be monitored
■ since they are known to be at risk with severe viral illness; however, to date, data on COVID -19 has not shown increased risk.
Many conditions can cause a person
■ to be immunocompromised, including cancer treatment, bone marrow or organ transplantation, immune deficiencies and prolonged use of corticosteroids and other immune weakening medications.
Your dad belongs to at least two of those groups. The best thing that any of us can do right now is to stay home as much as possible, and that is especially true for seniors.
Dear Annie: During this unexpected upheaval around the globe, I believe that isolation is as harmful as the threat of physical illness. One big blessing is that most of us can stay connected online through free services like Skype, Facetime, Google Hangouts and Zoom. My favourite thing to do is to throw virtual tea parties on Zoom with small groups. It feels so uplifting to maintain a sense of community.
Putting the Kettle On
Dear Putting the Kettle On: I absolutely love this idea. Socializing is so important to our mental health, and in reducing stress, it contributes to our physical health, as well. I appreciate your excellent suggestions.
Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@ creators.com. To find out more about Annie Lane and read features by other Creators Syndicate columnists and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.