Jeff’s new friend. A mynah who often visits during morning tea time.
A letter from Doreen & Jeff Attwood
Well Jeff and I could stay home all day, every day and not feel guilty! Thank you Level 2-4 Covid-19.
But it was a strange time for over 70 year olds. Isolation to a people person is an unusual time to say the least, no more sharing smiles, “and one smile does make two” so there was a shortage of smiles, not only flour and toilet paper! Hugs and conversations were also missing from everyday life. We couldn’t go to the supermarket and try and find some there, best place to look was towards the footpath outside our house and watch the many young families walking by instead of driving!
This time did bring back significant memories of my time as a young child in Auckland Hospital for many weeks with a kidney disease in 1950. I was confined to a single room to begin with and then a large ward where I could talk to other children from our beds. Visitors were limited, only my mother and grandmother. I didn’t see my father, brother and sister for many weeks until I went home. No going outside but we could look out window and see male patients in the TB ward enjoying the sunshine on a huge deck. “ It’s not fair, why can’t I go outside?”
We also had to check our cutlery and if it had TB engraved on it we had to give it to a nurse as we might get infected, cutlery was special to TB wards. My first experience of isolation, social distancing and sanitisation!
Jeff, who has vascular dementia found isolation difficult to begin with especially from Level 2 onwards as his routines were all gone! What day is it? Shouldn’t we be going walking today? A blackboard displaying day and date did help answer some of his questions. The teacher coming out in me! During Level 1 and 2 I was able to drive Jeff to our beach reserve and sit in the car and sip a hot drink and watch the waves roll in and talk to friends through the car window. It was a little strange to see a Police car drive by checking to make sure only those who were allowed to be out and about were obeying the rules. I was able during Level 2 to walk Daisy our dog up and down our street keeping our two-metre distance. We were lucky the sun was shining most days so this did make you feel good and not too isolated.
Jeff derives so much enjoyment from attending his Dementia groups. No more exercise from walking around the Auckland Botanic Gardens on Tuesday morning with Daisy our dog, sharing coffee and conversation with group members. We had to hang up our dancing shoes and no more music and movement and reliving our youth and the time that we meet our life partner on the dance floor. No more, “ I’ll keep changing partners until I’m in your arms again,” on a Wednesday afternoon at Te Tuhi Pakuranga with the dementia dance group.
Jeff getting his sports clothes ready, Doreen baking muffins (she has done that for many years) on a Thursday ready for Friday Men’s Group. Friday is a time of jokes, coffee and conversation and modified sports and exercise, a time when the wives and carers are able to have time-out at local shopping mall and share experiences, but all that was off the list. I missed the conversations with other carers on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Dementia Auckland helped by enabling the groups to stay connected through “Zoom”, this was wonderful as everyone could see and hear each other even if we couldn’t hug. This was a time of conversation, quizzes and sharing our lives.
Electronic devices were a great asset at this time as we could email, phone and communicate with family and friends and keep safe. As many people were out walking during Level 3 and 4 and not driving cars we were able to converse with them from a distance. The park bench at the front of our house with the sun beaming on Jeff and I was a wonderful viewing platform to watch the many families out walking or riding bikes together.
What did I do instead, well I got my knitting needles out, donned my apron and did baking, the kitchen smelt divine, all those jigsaws puzzles, reading books, the sun was shining so I spent time in the garden, very relaxing and therapeutic. We did miss family gatherings when we could share time with our children and grandchildren over a meal. These are always special times for Jeff when he is able laugh and talk with his grandchildren. No hugs and kisses. A dementia person can feel isolated and it is even harder for them when they are confined to home. No car club outings – another great time to re-live the good old days of Morris Minors and his youth.
Family and neighbours helped us get through the lockdown period by communicating regularly with us and doing our shopping. I could email my order or leave my card and list at the door and wow before long bags of goodies arrived. Much better than on-line where I heard of many mix-ups of goods, and very late in the night deliveries. An elderly neighbour ordered 2 potatoes and received 2x2kg bags.!
Our street had an email list of all residents and we were able to stay in contact and care for each other through this wonderful medium by way of regular emails sent to all, which included recipes, photos and more.
When we were allowed to begin leaving home and joining groups again it felt like we were on holiday in a foreign country. Hand sanitiser at shop doors, sign-in books, how far away from others should we stay, what are the crosses on the floor for? What are all those signs in black and yellow? Oh dear this was all foreign to us.
It was great to share our time with cousins and friends in other parts of New Zealand and locally by way of phone conversations, it was amazing how everyone had time to talk now, no “I have to head out to this that and the other activity or work.” We loved talking with young children over the fence and being part of their daily life as all schools were closed. I was able to ask a recently widowed young neighbour to help with our groceries shopping and clear our post office box. This provided her with a wonderful sense of purpose and helped fill a void in her life. A win, win situation.
Being over seventy, we felt we were a forgotten group, locked away out of sight and out of mind of government and society. Make them stay home and we won’t have to deal with a mountain of issues.
More focus seemed to be on young families and those now not able to work. I guess they are the future not us oldies who have been there, done that and contributed to society and are now a liability!
On the plus side we had a call from our local MP’s office (Opposition) because we were over 70 and checked that we were coping and provided us with a phone number should be need any help.
Well what an interesting time it has been for one and all. I wonder when our borders will open up and also those around the world and people can travel and holiday here and overseas?
Well I think my letter/ essay is complete! Stay safe and well.
As Pablo Neruda wrote in 1957
This time is difficult. Wait for me.
We will live it out vividly.
Give me your small hand:
We will rise and suffer,
We will feel, we will rejoice.Now we need each other, …
So let our difficult time stand up to infinity
with four hands and four eyes.
It was wonderful during Covid-19 to witness people helping and caring for others to stay safe and well.
Warmest regards
Doreen (76 years old) and Jeff (78 years old)
1 July 2020
A letter from Yvonne Knight
I am a widow living on my own.
During the COVID 19 lock down in 2020 I was very fortunate to have my cousin, also a widow, live with me for the entire period of Level 4; she returned home at the beginning of Level 3. We shared the housework, watched Netflix and Television in the evenings, read books and walked most days in the nearby parks, my walks being a lot shorter as I have back and knee problems. I was able to write up a family history of my late husband’s family from documents that had been stored in drawers and cupboards for several years, as well as adding to a story about my own life, so all in all I did not find Level 4 too arduous nor for that matter, Levels 3 and 2.
I was also able to keep in touch with friends over the phone and tutor a young school girl from Taiwan in English via my computer and the phone – she would forward me her work on the computer, I would correct it then phone her and she would make the necessary corrections on her copy which I could see on the computer; she could also ask me any questions.
My daughter in Christchurch phoned me every week, while my son, who lives nearby phoned me most days, but I missed the actual physical contact with the family. There was one occasion when my son had to come to my rescue, fortunately he was able to do so without breaking the law as he was classified as an “Essential Worker”. I had been told to drive my car around the block at least once a week in order to keep the battery from going flat, which I did, but obviously “the block” was not a long enough drive because when I went to start the car in preparation for a doctor’s visit it would not start. I phoned my son who duly arrived with a battery charger, and keeping the required 2m distance from me attached the charger to the car and left me with instructions as to what I had to do the following morning. Apart from knowing the car would start, the joy of actually seeing my son after several weeks was something I could not describe but I felt a deep disappointment that I could not hug him.
The visit to the Doctor, to check on an eye infection, under COVID 19 protocols was certainly different to the “normal” visit. On the morning of my appointment I had to phone the nurse to let her know I was well; on arrival I had to sanitise my hands and sit 2m from the only other patient (apparently appointments were made so that a maximum of three patients were in the waiting room at any one time); I had decided to wear a mask and this was appreciated by the staff. When I entered the doctor’s room I found her to be wearing a plastic protective gown, mask and gloves and as I left she wiped down her desk, my chair and equipment that could not be put into a sterilizer with a disinfectant wipe. Payment at Reception was made at arms-length with a “Tap and Go” credit card. At the Pharmacy, only two people at a time were permitted to enter, my prescription was processed very quickly, and payment was once again “Tap and Go” at arms-length.
What I missed most during COVID 19 was the inability to attend Church, and receive Holy Communion especially during Holy Week and Easter, and a Service on ANZAC Day, however both my church and the Holy Trinity Cathedral did have Sunday services that I could follow on my computer. Regarding ANZAC Day, like several families in our street my cousin and I stood out on the footpath to watch dawn light the sky and remember the fallen not only of WWI but all the other Wars since. We heard a lone Piper play “Amazing Grace” and later someone played a recording of “The Last Post” followed by “Reveillie”, then we heard a chorus of birds as they greeted the day. It was certainly a very different ANZAC morning, but nonetheless very moving. I also missed attending U3A and Association of Anglican Women Meetings and helping out at Selwyn College in their Assisted Learning Department.
All my shopping during Levels 4,3 and 2 was done for me by my young neighbour to whom I will be eternally grateful.
With no traffic around I heard and saw more birds, and on my walks complete strangers would smile and say “Good morning” or Good afternoon” “Keep safe and well”, something I never experienced before the pandemic.
When my grandsons happened to say that they missed meeting up with friends, going to the movies and that school work over the computer was “not the same”, I reminded them that as a twelve year-old, recently arrived from overseas, and with only a few weeks of schooling in New Zealand I had to face the 1947 Polio Epidemic when all schools were closed until May 1948. Our schooling was done through the Correspondence School and on Radio – lessons were delivered and returned by post and certain times allotted on the radio for certain classes which we had to listen to as our work was based on these broadcasts. Children were not permitted to go to the Movies, visit Public Swimming Pools, or attend any gatherings. I also reminded the boys that there was no immunisation against polio at that time, and that from memory the Salk vaccine did not arrive in New Zealand until the late 1950s or early 1960.
I have nothing but praise for our Prime Minister and her government for taking the difficult but very necessary step to shut down the entire country so promptly and so stringently in order to limit the spread of COVID 19 in the community. The decision to lock down in order to spare lives versus the economic loss to the country could not have been easy, but for our country with such a small population the possibility of a massive loss of lives by doing nothing would have resulted in economic disaster. As far as the elderly were concerned, the Prime Minister did encourage people to look out for their elderly relatives and neighbours, so I don’t think she could have done anything else for this group.
I do hope what I have written will be of help in your research.
7 July 2020
A letter from Beverley
20th August 2020
Dear New Zealanders
In the last 5 months I have learned another meaning for many words. Bubble, physical and social distancing, a-symptomatic, Level 4 to 1 lockdowns, Click and collect, Novel Coronavirus shortened to Covid or the virus became topics of many conversations and are still continuing as we negotiate through a global pandemic.
To me the Government outlined, based on the best information possible, that the older generations are vulnerable. This has proved true and the effect of the virus on those in aged care homes, families and staff has been very sad.
In 2019 I travelled alone for 2 months in Europe but 5 months later I fell into the vulnerable category as announced by the Government and Covid guidelines advised that I stay home and ask someone else to buy my groceries. With the world now a different place I had to adapt to find my new daily life.
In New Zealand we have a reasonable right of free speech and freedom to live our life. However in March 2020 I am very thankful the Government of New Zealand made the decision to close the borders and lockdown the people. Over the next few weeks I turned off the news because as I listened to many of the experts I felt no decision would have been made and the virus would be much more widespread and consuming everyone’s worries, health and economy.
When the virus H1N1 emerged I was teaching English in China and wore masks home on the plane but felt safe on arrival in New Zealand. After New Zealand had its first case of the virus the community sensed there was more to the situation than with previous recent virus epidemics. Clubs and activities were closing and office workers were sent home to work and I was happy to start staying at home to keep well. Then a week later the Government announced Lockdown Level 3 then 4.
Although we didn’t know how long it would be, as an accountant I have worked from home for 10 years so I felt I could cope with being at home in Level 4 lockdown. I had no family my home town. However the kindness of others whom I got to know as a volunteer was gratefully received in case I could not go out or got sick.
The first week I was very worried about what would happen if I got sick. I had been doing activities in the community and in contact with others. Once the week passed I then felt safe in my bubble, and had the chance to keep out of the mix of people and contribute that to the slowdown of the virus attack. I realised I had been given a shock and needed to treat myself well and find every positive comfort. I needed to keep to a routine and find things to focus on and be thankful that I had one day at a time to make the most of. I needed exercise, outside in the local community, sunshine, sharing with others, creative activities, something new. Every bit of good news from family and friends was wonderful.
In this pandemic in 2020, the difference from 100 years ago was we had technology to keep in touch, watch meetings and films at home which were recorded round the world.
It is only a few years since I gave my father’s and uncle’s photographs of their record of World War Two to the Auckland Museum to record their sacrifice for the future of New Zealand and contribution of who we are. Never did I think that 2020 would create history.
From my bubble a great start to the day has been walking and standing near the trees in Hamilton.
These oak trees were planted over 100 years ago and as I dodged falling acorns I hoped the trees would draw in and absorb the virus as they may have done with the 1919 Spanish flu epidemic. In addition the community left fruit and plants at the gate, pinned up Anzac poppies and dressed teddies in the windows. I knew there were people inside doing the same as I was trying to let the virus have nowhere to go. I added to the daily walking interest by painting acrylic pictures of animals and showing them in my front window. In line with Covid guidelines I had gloves in my jacket pocket and a plastic bag to bring home the community sharing.
Since I was a teenager I have participated in Scottish Country Dancing. As everyone worldwide is
affected and in lockdown the headquarters of the Royal Scottish Country Dancing Society in Edinburgh started weekly online classes. Although there are different time zones the feeling of sharing has been important to me and I enjoy seeing dancers logged in from all round the world. In the evenings I close the curtains, turn up the music and using technology invite dancers to teach from their living rooms and hear their story of their countries’ lockdown. Of course with no-one watching I can dance very well. There were online jigsaws of places I visited last year so I could dream.
For something new I tried weekday morning exercise in front of the TV and enjoyed sharing this with other New Zealanders in lockdown.
In Level 3 and Level 2 for 5 weeks I was sewing for a local childcare centre sharing my skills with the community. When the sewing was delivered we did the appropriate physical distancing of 2 metres at my front door.
Something old, something new happened with shopping. As a child in Auckland we had bread and milk delivered to the letterbox daily and groceries delivered from the local store when required. In 1958 I went shopping with my grandparents at the first supermarket in New Zealand at Otahuhu, Auckland. Shoppers took their own baskets and non-plastic bags. It was a new way of shopping which expanded to today's supermarkets. As an adult I bought supplies most weeks until supermarkets needed to limit people shopping at any time as per Level 4 and 3 Covid guidelines. From 26th March 2020 for 7 weeks my neighbours bought groceries for me and left them on my verandah. In Level 2 when I could get my own supplies I had kept out of shops and public places so I was not confident to go back shopping. In any case I didn’t need to because internet shopping had developed and the supermarkets wanted a spread of people so as few as possible were in the shop. The supermarkets opened early for essential workers and I was thankful to see that the Student Volunteer Army would get groceries for those who could not. So was it old or new, I could sit at my computer and order supplies by click and collect and delivery to my front door. I do wash my groceries as advised but know when they come out of my cupboards they are hygienic also from colds and flu. Internet shopping is continuing with the second lockdown period as I do not need to be in the general mix of people who have to feed families or go to work. To buy New Zealand and local as far as possible for winter comfort I treated myself to 2 online orders to my door with the buzzwords ‘contactless delivery’.
Many times during the night I thought of my family who have passed on. What would they have done in a lockdown pandemic? They volunteered to go overseas and fight in World War two leaving sweethearts in New Zealand and learnt more than they ever wished to tell me. I just needed to sleep in my own bed and cook what I needed.
Mostly I was able to get what food I required for day to day meals. The flour was in short supply as many bought extra to cook at home with no takeaways available and a creative activity for themselves and learning for children. After 4 weeks of not being able to buy flour I shook the bag of flour upside down and used every bit of flour dust to try a recipe. The TV showed cooking programmes which to me was sharing the presenters own home kitchen giving us some inspiration for trying new recipes of what we had left in our cupboards until next shopping day. I found this is a game of making everything as best I could from what I had.
Click and collect is still being used for my borrowing of library books, and the libraries online catalogue is very important for a continuous supply of reading.
I feel there were things that inevitably were missed or not done in the most efficient manner by the wider government people. Everyone scrambled to find their own path at home, at work and abide by guidelines and we are still learning. However I am very grateful and proud that I live in New Zealand. Level 4 and Level 3 merged together. It is hard to be out there doing everything again and I have taken outings in small steps. As Level 2 arrived I was able to drive further than my local area and since Level 1 in the last 7 weeks I have enjoyed dancing with others, days away at a beach and seeing family and friends again. As we go into a second round of the virus the worry returns of how long this will affect the world. The words may be often used at present but I know that this is an extraordinary and unprecedented time in our lives and I must make every day great. If I will be able to travel again is something which is beyond my control but I am able to contribute now by keeping to the best practice available.
Thank you to the essential workers who continue to keep our country working.
From one of the team of 5 million. We all have a different story. Thank you for this opportunity to add my experiences.