Mums do travel

Travel with and without teens

  • Home
  • Destination
    • UK
      • London
      • Kent
      • Northern Ireland
      • Wales
      • Elsewhere
    • Europe
      • Austria
      • Croatia
      • France
      • Gibraltar
      • Greece
      • Hungary
      • Italy
      • Netherlands
      • Norway
      • Portugal
      • Russia
      • Spain
      • Turkey
    • North America
      • USA
      • Canada
      • Carribean
      • Costa Rica
    • Africa
      • South Africa
      • Tunisia
    • Asia
      • Thailand
      • Bali
      • Singapore
    • Australia
  • Inspiration
    • Things to do in…
    • Things to do in London…
    • Where to stay
    • Language learning
    • Family travel interviews
    • The journey
    • Recipes
  • Published in
  • About
  • Contact
  • Travel shop
Home / Life in General / Coronavirus: How to help others when you can’t leave home

Coronavirus: How to help others when you can’t leave home

March 30, 2020 by Gretta Schifano 4 Comments

The most important thing for all of us to do now to stop the spread of coronavirus is to stay at home. Here’s the official advice from the NHS explaining that in detail.

COVID-19 testing

I’ve actually been at home and keeping away from people as much as possible since the start of March, when I had a chest infection. At the time my GP wanted me to be tested for COVID-19, but the hospital wouldn’t allow it as I didn’t meet the criteria for testing. So I don’t know if I’ve had the virus or not, but I do know that I felt more ill than I can ever remember feeling. Luckily nobody else in my family became ill, I recovered at home with the help of antibiotics, steroids and inhalers (I’m asthmatic) and I’m feeling much better.

Coping with social distancing

Now I’m isolating at home with my family, and going for a short walk from home once a day. I’m finding the hardest thing to cope with during this time of isolation and social distancing is the feeling of not being able to get out and actually DO something to help, even though I’m feeling OK. Because I have asthma, I fall into the same category as the over-70s and I have to be particularly careful to avoid catching the virus. I can’t sign up as an NHS volunteer and I can’t even work at the local residential home for disabled children where I do occasional shifts as a support worker.

Coronavirus_ How to help others when you can’t leave home.jpg

How to help others when you’re self-isolating

So I’ve been trying to change my perspective and to think about ways of helping others safely from home. I’m not writing about travel here at the moment, but I wrote a post about How to explore London’s museums from home and another about How to explore London’s art galleries from home, and people seem to be finding those useful. Beyond the blog, I’ve found that there are other ways of helping people at this time, even without leaving home. In case you’re also finding it hard that you can’t get out and help, here are some things that you can do.

Accept that staying at home is helping!

If you’re staying at home and keeping away from people beyond your household, you’re already doing the most helpful thing that you can do to stop the spread of the virus and avoid using NHS resources. It may feel like you’re doing nothing, but you’re not – accept this!

Phone people up

Make time each day to keep in touch with friends, family and neighbours by phone, especially anyone who lives alone. As we can’t see each other physically, it’s really important to talk to different people.

Use chat & video conference apps

If you haven’t already, try out some chat and video conferencing apps so that you can see people as well as hearing them while you chat. You can use these to chat to several people at the same time. Our favourites are Facetime, Whatsapp and Zoom, which are all very easy to use. If you don’t know where to start, this article from Wired is helpful:

The best video conference and chat apps for self-isolation, compared

Help others to access apps

If you’re already using apps to chat with others, and someone you know is struggling to access them, call them by phone and do your best to talk them through how to do it.

Have a clear-out for charity

Even though charity shops are closed at the moment, when they open again they’ll be looking for donations of good quality items to sell. So while you’re stuck at home, go through your cupboards and see if you can find some unwanted items to donate.

Volunteer from home

It’s possible to work as a charity volunteer without leaving the house. For example, last year I applied to be a telephone advice line volunteer for a national charity, and I’m currently working through the online training for that role. If I get through the training, I’ll then do this voluntary work completely from home, by phone. Look on charity and voluntary organisation websites to see if there’s something that you can help with from home. You can also contact your local volunteer centre to see if they have any opportunities which would work for you. You can search for your nearest volunteer centre here.

Food banks

If you can afford to do so, support your local food bank. The Trussell Trust supports more than 1,200 UK food banks, and says that more people are likely to need a food bank’s help as a result of the pandemic – in particular those who aren’t eligible for sick pay or have unstable jobs. You can donate to the Trussell Trust here.

Over to you

How are things going for you? Are you feeling that you want get out and help, but you can’t, for whatever reason? What ways have you found of helping others while you’re at home?

I hope that you and your family are safe and well, and I send you my very best wishes.

 

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related

Categories: Life in General
Tags: COVID-19, volunteering

About Gretta Schifano

I'm a freelance journalist and blogger specialising in family travel with teenagers, trips when parents manage to travel without their kids, and 50+ travel. I also write about vegetarian travel, parenting teenagers, adoption, SEN, ADHD and anxiety. My work's been published by the Financial Times, Guardian, Independent, National Geographic Traveller, Lonely Planet and others. I've lived and worked in Italy and Spain and am now based in rural south-east England with my husband, adoptive and birth kids and our dog. I previously worked as a social action radio producer for the BBC.

Facebook - Twitter - Google+

Subscribe to posts by email?

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy

Comments

  1. Kelli Hogan says

    April 13, 2020 at 4:12 pm

    I love your attitude and take on this whole COVID crisis. It would be easy to feel discouraged that you aren’t able to travel, but I completely agree that we have to look for the positives! And helping others (and staying grateful) is a great use of our time.
    Kelli Hogan recently posted…How To Avoid Getting Sick While TravelingMy Profile

    Reply
  2. Tony Cilley says

    April 1, 2020 at 11:09 am

    Excellent Post Very Helpful for Everyone.

    Reply
  3. Jenny/Mum says

    March 30, 2020 at 7:20 pm

    Well done Gretta some very helpful information for us all. It is hard feeling that you can’t do anything to help

    Reply
    • Gretta Schifano says

      March 31, 2020 at 2:31 pm

      It really is, thanks Mum x

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. CORONAVIRUS: INFORMACIÓN PARA VIAJAR (O MEJOR QUEDARTE EN CASA) [4] | Viatges pel Món says:
    March 31, 2020 at 3:59 pm

    […] Coronavirus: How to help others when you can’t leave home | Mums do travel […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




CommentLuv badgeShow more posts

Search site

Follow me!

Email: gretta at mumsdotravel dot com
Follow me on FacebookFollow me on Google+Follow me on TwitterFollow me on InstagramFollow me on YouTubeFollow me on PinterestFollow me on Bloglovin

You'd like posts by email?

Booking.com

Most popular posts:

  • How to pack for an 8 kg luggage allowance
    How to pack for an 8 kg luggage allowance
  • Thailand with teenagers: a two-week summer itinerary
    Thailand with teenagers: a two-week summer itinerary
  • Where to find Mary Poppins film locations in London
    Where to find Mary Poppins film locations in London
  • What to do when your teenager doesn't want to go on your family holiday
    What to do when your teenager doesn't want to go on your family holiday
  • 5-night itinerary for Northern Tunisia
    5-night itinerary for Northern Tunisia
  • How to learn to ski as an adult
    How to learn to ski as an adult
  • 60 free things to do in London with a teenager
    60 free things to do in London with a teenager
  • How to shop in the souks of Tunis medina, Tunisia
    How to shop in the souks of Tunis medina, Tunisia
  • Top things to do in Sicily with teenagers
    Top things to do in Sicily with teenagers
  • 8 great family holidays for football fans
    8 great family holidays for football fans

Recent Posts

  • How to apply for Italian citizenship: everything we’ve done so far
  • How to explore London’s top attractions from home
  • Amsterdam virtual museum & gallery tours
  • Introducing Armchair Travels
  • How to explore Florence, Italy, from home

About

  • About
  • Published in
  • Contact

Disclosure

This is a personal blog written and edited by me, Gretta Schifano. Sometimes I’m given products or sent on trips to review, but I always make this clear and give my honest opinion. See my About page for full details.

Copyright © Mums do travel 2019
Header by Suzanne Barton
Website by
Callia Web

Sign up for my free newsletter:
Subscribe to the Mums do travel mailing list... it's FREE!
You'll receive family travel news, offers and competitions. Once you sign up you can download my tips for saving money on family travel.
Your information will *never* be shared or sold to a 3rd party.
Sign up for my free newsletter: