A woman desperately worried for her frail brother, who has dementia and poor sight but is having to cope alone without his carers.
A 90-year-old woman and her ill son who have no-one to help them and will soon run out of food.
A disabled man in tears because his cancer-stricken wife has fallen over and broken her wrist.
These are just some of the untold stories of older and vulnerable people for whom coronavirus self-isolation has brought loneliness and huge anxiety.
The Age UK charity has been supporting many of those through their advice line, which has been experiencing unprecedented levels of calls - over 80% more than usual.
The advice line received an average of 800 enquiries by phone, email and letter in March - and their first ever day with more than 2,000 enquiries.
One of the helpline advisers, Peta Absalom, kept a diary of some of the over 100 calls to the advice line she received during one day.
Peta, 60, a former teacher, said: “Having worked with young people for over 16 years, I now feel very privileged to be communicating with older people from every walk of life.
“The advice line has experienced huge demand. We are also experiencing an increasing number of enquiries from younger callers who are in desperate need themselves.
“The day’s calls made it clear that many of our older population are struggling to cope with this unprecedented health crisis and that they are particularly vulnerable.
“There is a huge concern from older people and their friends and families, and some of the issues experienced by our callers were particularly hard to hear. It felt good to be able to offer reassurance and advice to those who are struggling, but I am sure the numbers of those needing help will continue to rise.”
Here’s her diary…
08:31
Call from Harriet, an ex-nurse in Yorkshire, in her 70s and living alone. She has a carer who comes in two to three times a day to look after her, gives Harriet her medication, and does the shopping. Harriet says she would be totally floored without her, but she’s very concerned that she wants to do the right thing during this pandemic.
Harriet asks that if she were to get Covid-19 and pass away, would she still be able to be buried in a grave with her family, as requested in her will.
08:54
Call from an older couple who need help food shopping. Their son is living with them too but is also at risk due to asthma.
09:10
Call from Fay in the South East on behalf of her friend who was in tears about the current situation. Her friend can’t go out for shopping as she has underlying medical conditions too, and Fay is desperate to help her. She called up because she saw on TV the help Age UK is providing for older people.
09:25
Caller is worried for his sister who lives on her own in an area of mainly older people. She has no friends or family currently fit enough or living nearby to help with shopping.
09:33
Male caller (under 60) from the North East who says he’s at breaking point. He has no job and is on benefits. He’s a father of two and lives separately from his ex-partner who is pregnant and lives with his children. He’s concerned about them and how to get food for the family.
09:41
Caller who is very worried about friends in their 90s living in the South East. They are still going to the shops and the caller has asked if Age UK can help.
09:54
Andrea from the Midlands is an older, vulnerable person, and is incensed at the lack of information from the government for older people who are at most risk, especially for those without internet access. She thinks there should be a phone number people in this category can call for information.
By mid-morning there is huge demand and I’m concerned that people are waiting a long time before getting through.
10.15
Man in his 80s from Wales who has several underlying health conditions. He hasn’t stepped outside for three weeks but is now running out of food. He also needs medical assistance and was asked by his surgery to take a taxi to see them, but he turned it down as doesn’t feel comfortable doing this. He was also told a district nurse can’t be sent to his home, so he’s not sure what to do.
10:40
Caller from the south coast worried about their older parents who are in their 80s. Parents are still going outside and the caller is very concerned for their well-being, but can’t do much as they live so far away.
10:45
Caller asking for information on behalf of his father in the South West. His father, who has mental and physical disabilities, needs a care needs assessment.
10:52
Caller who was desperate to volunteer to help older people during this time. They’d waited an hour and a half to get through on the phone.
10:54
Mark from London, in his 50s. He’d like to register as high risk. He is running out of food and he’s in huge debt.
11:12
Caller in her 90s from the South East who lives with her son who is on oxygen 24 hours a day. They’re both at high risk and are extremely vulnerable. They’re also running out of food.
12:32
Anne calling from the Midlands. Very grateful to have the phone answered as she was waiting over an hour and a half. Anne would like to know if she’s in a high priority group, her husband is in his 80s and is on oxygen. She’s wondering how to get food.
12:52
Woman from the Midlands who thinks she has coronavirus and is worried about how to support her mother who is in her 80s. Her mother has COPD and heart problems and has nobody to help her.
13:19
Hannah calling from the North East about her Grandad in his 90s who is living in another region. She wants to know about what food support he can get during this time.
13:30
A young female volunteer, who is working with a university, is offering to make and supply face masks to older people in need.
14:00
A female caller is concerned for her brother, in his 70s, who has a fracture, dementia, and difficulty with his sight. He is usually looked after by his son and daughter-in-law but they’re self-isolating due to Covid symptoms. He’s been trying to cope alone for three weeks without carers and hasn’t been able to shower. His sister also worries that he’s had some falls and whether he’s taking his medication.
15:08
Older caller who is very annoyed that there aren’t more online delivery slots available for the most vulnerable people. She believes that customers should not be able to book a slot a month ahead when there are so many in need. She asks for this to be passed on and acted upon.
15:37
Call from Mike who is in his 80s and disabled. He’s upset and in tears because his younger wife suffers from cancer, has fallen and has smashed her wrist.
15:48
Final call of the day and a complex one: Nick, in his 70s, from Yorkshire, is having trouble paying a council tax bill. He’s living in sheltered accommodation and is on pension credit, and he can’t pay a bill which was originally wavered but has now been taken up again by the local authority.
You can call Age UK’s free, confidential advice line on 0800 169 6565, 8am to 7pm, 365 days a year.
AGE UK’S SELF-ISOLATION ADVICE FOR OLDER PEOPLE
- Keep busy Try to keep up with your normal hobbies and activities as far as possible.
- Stay in touch Make time for regular phone calls and staying in touch online.
- Stay positive Focus on the things you can control rather than the things you can’t. This might mean focusing on getting into a routine and taking small practical steps each day to do what you need to do.
- Discover the internet You may be surprised at how much you are able to do online. You can use the internet to connect with other people and carry out tasks such as shopping, dealing with utilities, and connecting with public services such as the GP surgery, pharmacy and the local council.
- Be prepared Think about other things it would be useful to have to hand, such as a list of useful telephone numbers. Keep a list of your medications and important medical information too, and pack an overnight bag just in case you have to go into hospital.
- Essential supplies Remember that many supermarkets are restricting access to the wider public at particular times of day to allow older people to shop first, while older people are being given priority slots for online shopping. If you have any concerns about your medication, or worried you’re running low, then talk to your pharmacist.
- Ask for help Don’t be afraid to ask for help! Talk to family, friends and neighbours to let them know how they can help. Many communities are also organising local support groups as well.
- Care and support If you normally receive care and support but have concerned and are experiencing difficulties getting the help you need, contact your care provider and/or your local council for help. If you don’t receive care but feel you can no longer cope at home without support, you should contact your local authority and speak to them about this.
