Advice for an 85 year old who has asthma and needs to get groceries?

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Advice for an 85 year old who has asthma and needs to get groceries?

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Leave grocery on porch.
Contact his neighbor for assistance.
Contact senior service.
Why can’t you take your dad food?

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Hi Dear,
I also appriciate your suggessition, First need to inform neighbour then home care services. Almost need his direct involbment.

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Contact local places of worship, preferably wherever he goes. Most have folks that will deliver groceries.

Touching things will not give him the virus. It is putting his hands to his face afterwards. He should wipe the outsides of cans and boxes with a rag dipped in bleach water., The items can air dry or he can dry them with a clean towel before putting them away. If he has produce, it can be soaked in bleach water for a minute and then in cleat water for a minute before putting it away (Old missionary trick), Discard the bags. He should then clean the counters the bags were on. Lastly, wash his hands vigorously while singing "Happy Birthday" twice.

Produce bleach water is 1 spoonful of bleach to 1 gallon of water.
Cleaning bleach water is 1/2 Cup of bleach to 1 gallon of water. Rinse with clear water afterwards for stone and metal surfaces.

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I would not eat produce that has been soaked in bleach water. There are safer ways to clean food, like cooking in boiling water. Avoid the salad.

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https://www.foxnews.com/media/doctor-david-price-coronavirus

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If he uses the computer, signup at nextdoor.com for his area. Site is arranged by zip code and neighborhoods. Otherwise, a bit similar to this site. People can ask questions or post information relevant to their area. A lot of adults and kids are sharing their availability to help in cases like this for our area and may be in his also. It is a good way to connect.

Here is a good video on bringing groceries and carry out into the home.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjDuwc9KBps

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Are you able to do shop and deliver?

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His local Senior Resource Center can bring him free meals for the week and no doubt a senior rec center, such as YMCA or local township rec ctr, would get him other needs. Also, I didnt realize you were in same town. My answer would be Go to the store for him.

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Consider using a service like topchefmeals that delivers fully prepared meals without any subscriptions or commitments right to your dad door. I founded the company 10 years ago originally to help my 85 year old father who was living alone.

We are a caring loving group of people who care deeply and are trying to make it easier for our seniors in this time of need. As a family owned company and now my son (yes the third generation) we a re trying to make a difference in seniors lives but delivering great tasting nutritious meals to everyone.

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Those meals are not meant for old/older people, especially if they can only eat soft foods or gave sensitive GI. I tried them and there was only two meals that I could prepare and then take from each to make one meal for my 82 yr old dad. Waste of money.

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I have been ordering what I can from Amazon & pick up locations, like Walmart curbside. I spray everything with lysol & put on gloves to put it up. Everything gets sprayed with lysol or washed, then set on the counter to dry. Items are brought inside to the table not the floor, that would be dangerous for older people bending over & losing balance. So table 1st, wash or spray, put on counter, clean table. I make sure to have enough for weeks, so I've only had to do this 1x. I have asthma too. My husband works outside the house as he is an essential employee, so I'm concerned. But trying best I can. I add what my parents need to my list.

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Senior center in my are will shop for groceries and pick up medicine. Spoke with them recently and they know my niece and I are caring for my 97 year old mother. We will use the service in case of an emergency. I would give them a call to see if they can help you.

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My mom is 93 and lives independently, and I've been doing a weekly grocery shop for her for years. But a week ago I told her I would stop this for awhile. I get a spring allergy and when I start to cough and sniffle I won't know initially if I'm sick or just getting my allergy.

I left mom with four options.

(1) delivery from her favorite grocery store. Discard the bags and wash hands thoroughly.

(2) sign up for a meal-delivery service. I signed up with Freshly and Schwan.

(3) order delivery from local restaurants.

(4) get Meals on Wheels delivered.

I heard a medical expert say we only need to worry about ingesting enough water and adequate calories during this critical time.

I don't think anything is 100% safe these days. I make choices that are "safer" and "smarter" and I'm willing to make sacrifices in favor of common sense. I am frustrated by the casual recklessness and selfishness in my family, my community, and in some of the threads here. Had to get that last part off my chest, LOL. Stay safe, everyone.

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Do you find that if you cough or sniffle due to an allergy, people look at you as it they assume you have the coronavirus?

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Look at the people taking public transportation. Go on Facebook to see our ads for our RTA, buses and streetcars and the Ferry that crosses the river.

It’s an explanation of how everything is sterilized. Interesting to see.

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When it comes to assessing risk I can't see any difference between curbside pick up, online shopping and hiring someone or having a neighbour/volunteer shop for you, all of them rely on the stores, warehouses and employees taking precautions.

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Oh my goodness, you are so 100% correct, and frankly, it's refreshing to hear! I am not trying to make light of anyone's fears, and I certainly understand the need for the vulnerable population to limit social contact, but people need to understand that, unless you're slaughtering your own meat, growing your own crops and grinding your own wheat, at some point someone has handled the items you're purchasing from the store.
For myself and my family, I feel safer and more confident getting my items myself. My thought process is this: people working for these private grocery delivery services are not independently wealthy people, they're low-paid hourly workers...the very people most likely to go to work when they're sick because they literally cannot afford not to.
If I were forced to rely on someone else, I would opt for the curbside pickup, where the store employees bring the items out. I figure the store manager has a vested interest in keeping sick workers home and out of the store; those employees are also more likely to be getting some form of pay when they're out sick, since most big chain stores by me seem to be providing some sort of sick pay to their employees.

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Call Council on Aging in his area to see what others are doing. If he has delivery he can wear gloves to carry the bags inside and then wipe down items.

Same if he does curbside pick up. Place the groceries in the trunk. He won’t need to be close to the workers. Otherwise, wear a mask while they load up the car. The trunk option may reduce his anxiety some.

It is so unsettling. I have asthma and have been hospitalized for it in the past. It’s horrifying not being able to breathe.

I have been on breathing machines. I do have inhalers. I feel like your dad. I haven’t gone out. My husband has been going to the store.

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Set up the online ordering if you can so you both have the login & password. Then you will be able to do it with him or for him. Agree with suggestion to call local council, church - hopefully a volunteer collection service for vulnerable people gets set up.

If only option is Dad going to collect he can call store before heading out (if they answer) & ask they bring it out. Pop the boot/trunk for staff to put in. That's what my Dad does. If not, wear mask to collect.

Once home, don't put the bags on the bench tops. Limit to one place on the floor (can wipe it later). I haven't started wiping down every tin but just being conscious about to where the bags & boxes go. But I do wash hands after unpacking & before eating every time.

He will still need to get some exercise, get some sunshine & air etc. Has he good a good veliable news source? So he gets the facts. That may help with the fear.

There is a real risk of depression for many. I Itart work early & see a few elderly people going for a walk at dawn. They are balancing their need to live & exercise but limiting their risk as much as possible by heading out when it's quiet.

It's great you are looking out for him & maybe you can call him more often. If he's tech savvy, a messenger/WhatsApp type app may be good to contact you & other rellies too.

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Just thanking you both, Snoopy and Alva. City website was useless and did not even mention anything about current conditions. For those who are elderly and not good with computers, I hope they are finding ways to manage.

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Call 211 for services of all kinds. Is there a neighbor that would pick up for him?

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Today in the mail we received a postcard from our city advising us of a city website and local hotline specifically for people who are isolated and need help during the crisis. Maybe his city has something set up as well? I would check his city's website for similar resources first.

Good luck and good health to you both!

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No to going in the store. Even curbside can be a problem unless Dad knows how to clean and store groceries, or to let them sit for at least three days (those not perishable). I would say Amazon.com for things that can be delivered. Many things cans, canned tomatoes, things like this. Anything you can do online. There are grits, there is polenta and pastas. Many things such as canned tuna, that can be lived on. Time to think out of the box best you can. Nothing will be completely safe but I would say not going out now, tho I don't know where you live. Call adult protective services, churches, anything you can think of in this area as to those who would shop for him. A lot of teens out of school might jump to do this, but how to contact????

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Even Amazon items may have been "contaminated" at some point. Our current practice is to bring packages in thru the garage. We open the box or package w/o touching our clothes, spray or wipe the inner wrapping/box down with a water/bleach solution (5 part water, 1 part bleach), open that packaging and dump our item on a "clean" surface. Wash hands then pick up the item & go on... A whole lot of nuisance but my own health issues make me vulnerable. We're able to have groceries delivered and do much the same. We leave outer packaging in the garage & place in trash later.

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Advice for an 85 year old who has asthma and needs to get groceries?

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