New Zealand First MP and Seniors Minister Tracey Martin doesn't want self-isolating seniors to become the 'Forgotten People'. Photo / Mark Mitchell
New Zealand First MP and Seniors Minister Tracey Martin doesn't want self-isolating seniors to become the 'Forgotten People'. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Seniors Minister Tracey Martin is urging people to stay connected to their grandparents and the elderly in general as the Covid-19 outbreak is expected to push more seniors into self-isolation.
And she is working on guidelines for visiting seniors to strike the balance of keeping them safe, as they are the most likely to die from Covid-19, but not leaving them even more isolated and in danger of becoming the "Forgotten People".
While Covid-19 data is young, the World Health Organisation estimates the mortality rate to be about 3.4 per cent, but this jumps to 8 per cent for those aged 70 to 79, and 14.8 per cent for those aged 80 and over.
Radius Care has closed its doors for all but emergencies as a precaution, while NZ Aged Care Association boss Simon Wallace has called for a national plan - including more medical equipment and staff - for the aged care sector.
Meanwhile Australia, where there has been community transmission, has limited visits to aged care facilities to short, two-person visits once a day per resident to protect those most vulnerable to Covid-19.
There was no evidence so far of community transmission in New Zealand, but Martin said she was also looking at visitation restrictions here.
"That's a live conversation at the moment," she told the Herald.
But she said the plan for seniors also needed to include how to keep them from becoming marooned in self-isolation in their own homes.
"It could very easily move into a place where they become the Forgotten People. We don't want them to become even more isolated and left on their own."
Martin has been in self-isolation herself after coming into contact with two coronavirus-infected people, including Australian Minister Peter Dutton, while in Washington DC.
But she has had the company of her husband and daughter.
"Imagine being alone for 14 days. We've already got some seniors who are isolated and lonely. We don't want to increase that number."
She said people can self-isolate but still be there for each other, and a self-isolation plan for seniors should include not only a network of friends and family, but also services like Silver Line, a confidential helpline for seniors.
"How can we help our seniors? Those of them that are digitally literate - and we've got half a million of them on our website - how can we give them some instructions about ordering online if don't want to go to the supermarket?
"How can they keep themselves safer as this thing starts to roll out?
"I Skyped into a Senior Services meeting on Tuesday and asked them to come back to me next week."
"There was a lovely story of a teenage girl who started volunteering to deliver things to seniors around her town. Younger people, they'll get Covid-19, but if they haven't got a pre-determined condition, they're less likely to not survive this type of thing.
"So instantly somebody had stepped up and said, 'I'm going to be alright, how can I help seniors in my town?"
Retirement Villages Association executive director John Collyns said that villages were taking steps to screen all visitors to check travel history and symptoms.
"If they pass all those tests, they're free to go in and talk to a resident - but with the 2m-distance."
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has said that New Zealand is not at a stage where seniors have been asked to stay at home.
"But I will ask ... take care of our older citizens. Make sure that you are very mindful of your own health status before you are in contact with older citizens, and make sure you're looking out for them."
