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Isolated and lonely -

Even before the outbreak of coronavirus, isolation and loneliness were already at epidemic levels among the elderly. According to the UK's Campaign to End Loneliness, the number of over-50s experiencing loneliness is set to reach two million by 2025/2026.

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Detachment -

The coronavirus pandemic and the spread of the respiratory disease COVID-19 is only exacerbating the sense of detachment among senior citizens. In many countries, the over-70s have been asked to stay at home and effectively self-isolate.

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Home alone -

In an interview with the UK's Telegraph newspaper, Professor Sir Muir Gray, an expert in healthy aging, warned that older people should not be left to sit at home on their own.

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Risk factors -

"Isolation and loneliness are major risk factors for dementia and the coronavirus could complicate this," said Professor Sir Muir Gray. "It's important that people stay engaged and active."

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In lockdown -

So if you are a senior citizen in lockdown in your own home, how exactly can you stay engaged and active?

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Keep engaged and active -

A problem shared is a problem halved, as they say. If you're an elderly couple, then the fact you have each other immediately divides the burden of keeping occupied and motivated during the long weeks ahead.

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Stay connected -

If you have a laptop and Internet access, stay connected with family and friends on a regular basis via video chat and voice calls using Skype and other telecommunications apps.

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News sense -

Besides using a laptop or smart device to stay in touch with relatives, you can also use your smart phone to keep up to speed with the latest news about the outbreak. But remember, only browse reputable news and health agency websites. There's a lot of malicious gossip and false rumors out there.

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No access to the Internet -

Despite living in the digital age and the ubiquity of the app, there are still many senior citizens who, for whatever reason, are not clued up on using smart devices, or indeed have access to the Internet. So, what else is there to do?

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Get out in the garden -

Forget about your age for a moment. Instead, hark back to when you were carefree toddlers in a world of your own. Well, right now you're very much in a world of your own, so go on, have some fun... like getting soaked while watering the plants! But remember: play in the back garden, well away from other people.

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Got green fingers -

Similarly, if it's sunny outside take advantage of the good weather and get on with that pruning and weeding you've been putting off for weeks. Again, back garden only. And feel free to don a face mask if it makes you feel more comfortable about leaving the house.

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Kind gestures -

Still in the garden, why not present your other half with a seedling? An offer of kindness as well as symbol of rejuvenation, it's little gestures like this that can help overcome the mental stress you both might be suffering as this crisis unfolds.

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Role reversal -

With no digital distraction, there's lots of other ways to connect... with one another! For example, who's the cook in the household? How about a little role reversal? Set simple cooking goals and see how your previously kitchen-ignorant other half gets to grips rustling up an omelette, or a club sandwich.

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You're never washed up -

Still in the kitchen, who usually does the washing up? Not anymore. This is another great role reversal exercise that for some could be a totally new experience.

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Romantic -

Self-isolating at home doesn't mean slumbering all day. In fact, it's vital to remain active. So here's an idea: when was the last time you both danced together? Yep, thought so! Why not take your partner by the hand for a quick waltz around the washing machine? If nothing else, it'll be a good laugh, and quite romantic.

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Take up a hobby -

Don't watch television all day! Use self-isolation constructively, perhaps to take up a new hobby. If you have the materials available, painting is a wonderfully meditative art.

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Be crafty -

Beat boredom by doing something you'd never normally think of doing... like helping to knit a grandchild's cardigan.

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Read more -

Reading fires the imagination, expands vocabulary, focuses concentration, tweaks the memory, and relieves stress. A good book at hand does wonders for mental health, and is a great way to keep your mind off emergencies and crises.

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Online learning -

Technology has a lot to offer older people, so if you can, take advantage of it. Sign up for an online learning course in whatever subject takes your fancy (a new language, perhaps). This is a very rewarding way of keeping the brain active.

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The wonder of wildlife -

Never underestimate the healing power of wildlife. This is especially so if you live alone. Feeding the birds in the back yard, for example, can become a labor of love, and suddenly you have a menagerie of feathered friends to meet and greet each morning.

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Maintain a routine -

When people withdraw, or stop doing their normal activities, it can have a profound effect on their mood. The elderly are no different. This is why it's vital to maintain a modicum of routine during lockdown mode.

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It's the little things that count -

It's important to maintain your daily household routine while self-isolating. For the elderly, that simply means doing what you've always done. It doesn't have to be strict, but routines are helpful for people to see an endpoint.

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Reaffirmation of love -

You're elderly and wise, but this is unlike anything either of you two have experienced before. Take time to tell the other you love them, and offer reassurance on a daily basis.

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Turn the negative into positive -

Here's something to consider: try turning a negative situation into a positive one. How? Well, how about keeping a "corona journal," in which you document your experiences. This outbreak is the greatest medical emergency in a century, and a first-hand account—your account—of this deepening crisis can help you come to terms with your situation.

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Game on -

With plenty of time on your hands, you can also learn a new board game, or attempt a difficult puzzle. Mah-jong is a real brainteaser, for example.

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Card tricks -

On the other hand, a game of simple cards is a fun way to pass the time. Make it interesting—loser makes the tea!

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Care worker visits -

For an elderly person living on their own, a care worker not only provides physical assistance but companionship too. Right now these professionals are in the frontline against coronavirus. But it pays to be forthright and insist that all carers wash their hands before their visit. In fact, anyone who visits an older person should wash their hands before and after their visit.

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Request a care package -

If you can't get out of the house, get a care package delivered by loved ones. Ask for useful everyday household items. And what about some flowers to brighten the place up?

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Resetting the relationship with older people -

The coronavirus outbreak could be a chance for society to reset its relationship with older people, suggests Donna Buxton, head of research at the International Longevity Centre UK. Such a defining shift in the collective mindset towards the greater welfare of senior citizens would be one of the major positives to emerge from this dangerous and deadly disease.

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Out of sight, but not out of mind -

And for all of us who have elderly relatives currently in self-isolation, resist the temptation to see them, as difficult and emotional as that may be. The coronavirus is transmitted by close contact with an infected person or persons, and you may inadvertently spread COVID-19 among senior family members.

See also: Tips to prevent coronavirus.

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