Older people’s charity, Age Connects Cardiff and the Vale continues its long-standing commitment to supporting vulnerable and isolated older people living in our communities amidst the Coronavirus outbreak.
And now the charity has partnered with 95-year-old Cardiff resident Sid who shares his top tips for keeping busy and motivated in lockdown.
Karen Steele, Marketing and Partnerships Manager at Age Connects explains: ‘It’s been a difficult few months for all of us but particularly for older members of our communities, many of whom already experienced loneliness and isolation but have had even less contact with family and friends under lockdown. Sid is one of Age Connects’ staunchest supporters and such an inspiration. Always busy, always baking and always positive. We wanted to share his top tips with other older and often isolated people in our communities’.
Sid himself explains: ‘My approach to lockdown has been to listen to the advice given and accept that you have to follow the guidance if you want to stay safe. Try and maintain a daily routine and don’t do anything silly to risk your health’.
Sid has kept up with daily chores as well as baking and gardening. ‘I’m lucky enough to have a lovely garden and have enjoyed spending time nurturing my rose archway and renovating my garden ornaments. I also spent time looking through my photo albums, sorting and re-filing the photographs. I have a wonderful family and they always come first. At a time when we couldn’t be together in person, looking back through my photo albums has been a way of feeling close to them, by re-capturing wonderful memories’.
Sid has also kept a diary during lockdown – to remind him of birthdays or anniversaries and to capture his thoughts and reflections and he tried to send handwritten cards or letters rather than texts: ‘When you can’t speak face-to-face, handwritten letters are a very personal way of keeping in touch. And it’s a lovely surprise for someone to receive – it really shows that you’re thinking of them.’
Sharing Sid’s top tips in its client magazine and across social media, Age Connects Cardiff and the Vale hopes to encourage other older people living alone to keep busy.
As Sid says: ‘Although I live alone, I consider myself very lucky as I always seem to have something to do. I know that’s not the case for everyone though and so I hope at least some of my suggestions can help’.
Age Connects Cardiff and the Vale has always supported older members of our local communities who have little or no family support. As the Coronavirus crisis continues to hit, the number of people requiring its support has risen immensely and additional requests for assistance continue to be received daily.
Since the ‘lockdown’ began, Age Connects has taken more than 3,600 calls for information, advice, reassurance and social contact and arranges over 300 new weekly shops and prescription collections.
The charity is supporting the most vulnerable in our community and needs help to keep them safe, well, and reassured that there is help at hand.
To show your support or make a donation visit ageconnectscardiff.org.uk or follow the link: https://justgiving.com/campaign/helpushelp
