# Should I completely avoid visiting my elderly parents for the next few months **URL:** \ **Category:** The Quarantine Zone\ **Tags:** covid-quarantine\ **Created:** [March 17, 2020, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-completely-avoid-visiting-my-elderly-parents-for-the-next-few-months/849626 "2020-03-17T03:07:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![DummyGladHands](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/49beb7/32.png) [@DummyGladHands](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DummyGladHands)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2020, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-completely-avoid-visiting-my-elderly-parents-for-the-next-few-months/849626/21 "2020-03-18T03:10:51Z")
What I am sad about is with the ALZ, Mother has no idea why we aren’t coming, and it would do no good to tell her since she can’t retain for even a minute ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2020, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-completely-avoid-visiting-my-elderly-parents-for-the-next-few-months/849626/22 "2020-03-18T14:48:47Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > What exactly is the health guidance from professionals that you are following? > > I just checked the CDC and WHO - neither of which say to stay home. They DO say avoid sick people, stay (3 or 6 feet) away, wash hands and clean surfaces, etc. But if you went over to mom and dad’s, let yourself in the front door, and then sat across the room from each other, what professionals say not to do that? (Unless you are including professional alarmists. ;)) > . Wow. You should read more and give out less advice. People over 70 are being widely advised to self isolate. > [@](#): > > He [Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer] also urged everyone in the province to practise social distancing, to work from home wherever possible and to avoid close contact with anyone outside their immediate family. He advised anyone over 70, anyone immunocompromised, or anyone who has recently returned from another country to self-isolate > **[Ontario urges bars, restaurants to close amid COVID-19 pandemic, hours after...](https://nationalpost.com/news/ontario-government-moves-to-protect-workers-affected-by-covid-19)** > > Ford said the government is drafting legislation that would prevent anyone forced into self-isolation, or stuck at home caring for a child or loved one during… ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2020, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-completely-avoid-visiting-my-elderly-parents-for-the-next-few-months/849626/23 "2020-03-18T15:23:46Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > Wow. You should read more and give out less advice. People over 70 are being widely advised to self isolate. > … Yeah - someone previously pointed that out, so I guess that would apply to receiving visitors as well as going out. However, I can imagine a situation in which someone might be housebound, and wishes to accept the risk of having a careful visitor. The housebound person would pose minimal to no risk, and if they wanted to assume the risk of possibly dying, I’d respect that. Yeah - that risk might result in societal costs, health care, etc… ---
**Author:** ![eenerms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cdc98d/32.png) [@eenerms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eenerms)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2020, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-completely-avoid-visiting-my-elderly-parents-for-the-next-few-months/849626/24 "2020-03-18T15:28:16Z")
My mom is in an assisted living place. No more visitors, but she has a fantastic window looking out on a pond. We are going over and visit through the glass. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2020, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-completely-avoid-visiting-my-elderly-parents-for-the-next-few-months/849626/25 "2020-03-18T15:39:26Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > However, I can imagine a situation in which someone might be housebound, and wishes to accept the risk of having a careful visitor. The housebound person would pose minimal to no risk, and if they wanted to assume the risk of possibly dying, I’d respect that. Yeah - that risk might result in societal costs, health care, etc… Ethically, it’s not super cool to risk taking up hospital space because you’re feeling lonely when there’s a pandemic on… ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2020, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-completely-avoid-visiting-my-elderly-parents-for-the-next-few-months/849626/26 "2020-03-18T15:41:09Z")
I for the first time video chatted with my dad, he really liked that. Other then that for the fire service we have been instructed when there people at risk to limit exposure of us to them, and also in some situations we will need full SCBA (air packs) to have contact with them. We could use the M-95 mask or whatever it’s called if we are trained, fitted and have them, which we have none of that 3 and neither do any fire departments in my area. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2020, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-completely-avoid-visiting-my-elderly-parents-for-the-next-few-months/849626/27 "2020-03-19T01:19:35Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > Yeah - someone previously pointed that out, so I guess that would apply to receiving visitors as well as going out. > > However, I can imagine a situation in which someone might be housebound, and wishes to accept the risk of having a careful visitor. The housebound person would pose minimal to no risk, and if they wanted to assume the risk of possibly dying, I’d respect that. Yeah - that risk might result in societal costs, health care, etc… The whole big deal bout this disease is that it kills older people at a much higher rate than the flu. It is is actually much less worrisome for young people. So the reason I was clearly annoyed was because you were suggesting the very last thing we should be blase about at this point. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-completely-avoid-visiting-my-elderly-parents-for-the-next-few-months/849626.md?page=1)