As we all work to fight the spread of Covid-19 by following the increasing restrictions and more
strictly enforced rules of self-isolation and social distancing, it is natural to feel worried, frustrated and lonely.
This is a difficult time for all of us, but particularly those who are most vulnerable to the disease and who are self-isolating alone.
If you are comfortably self-isolating in the bosom of your family with infinite access to a wide group of friends via social media,
I challenge you to identify one friend or family member who is self isolating alone and make time once a week to phone that person.
If someone is lonely your friendship could be the comfort they need to stay positive.
This is some advice collected from reputable sources including the NHS website at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/ to help both those who want to phone a friend and those who find themselves self-isolating alone.
It is important that you and the person you are calling enjoy the call, so make this a part of the day that you both look forward to. Find somewhere quiet and comfortable to take the call such as your bed or sofa.
Make a drink to have during the call and just relax.
Here are a few extra tips to help you:
- If someone is distressed, don’t tell them not to panic. Stay calm yourself and patiently try to comfort them. Try and distract them by asking about what they’ve been doing and sharing stories from your week.
- Have a notebook and pen ready in case you need to note something down like a list of groceries they might need.
- During the first call find out when it is most convenient for you to call next.
- Try and make the calls a pleasant habit, so you maintain the communication throughout this period of self-isolation.
This period of necessary self-isolation can be particularly difficult if you are on your own, but this is also a great time
to reconnect with old friends, pick up old hobbies, start exciting projects and indulge.
Here are a few things you could do to make the most of self-isolation:
- Phone your friends and family, especially those who are also on their own. Let people know you care about them at this worrying time.
- Keep exercising – even just walk round the house, or even better stick your favourite music on and just dance!
- Don’t scare yourself be following the news too closely.
- Bake, tidy the garden, clean the house, finally get around to those things you have been meaning to do. Just keep busy.
- Start a new project: research something that interests you, learn a new skill or make something there are plenty of ideas and instructions online.
- Stick to a daily routine.
Video music by David Simkins