GARDENING, cooking, watching television and grocery shopping are among the activities available to homebound senior citizens during the Covid-19 epidemic.

They told The Malaysian Insight that even though they have been fully vaccinated, they fear venturing out for long periods of time due to the high number of coronavirus cases.

Subramaniam, 62 and his wife Umadevi, 57, said they very rarely go out to buy goods as they are terrified with the number of Covid-19 infections in the Klang Valley

“Besides doing housework such as cleaning and cooking, we spend our time watching videos online, gardening and catching up with friends and relatives via phone or video call. 

“If we do go out to the shop and all, we wear our masks,” they said.

The couple who live in Jalan Ipoh with their two sons are still working full time, albeit from home. 

Their oldest son, Jaya, 31, said he has taken charge to go out and buy the groceries and other items so that he can limit the number of times his parents go out.

“Actually, I’m worried whenever they go out because although they do wear their masks, it’s very hard to get them to use hand sanitisers and maintain strict distancing with people.

“They do keep hand sanitisers in the bag and car, but they don’t make it a point to use it,” he said.

He said he was grateful that his parents are in good health and do not require regular hospital visits.

Malaysians have been home bound for the better part of 15 months since the government first movement control order was implemented in March last year to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

Since then, the government has imposed two other movement-control orders, in January this year and  in July. An emergency was also implemented which lasted from January 11 to August 1. 

Despite the multiple lockdowns, Covid-19 cases have been trending upwards, logging 20,780 infections over the last three days.

Retired teacher E.E Leow, 65, has spent most of her time watching television, videos online and reading manga to cure her boredom.

“I also do cross stitch and I asked my daughter to buy me some puzzles too,” she said.

Leow said since she has been stuck at home due to the pandemic, she has lost track of the date and day.

“Sometimes I don’t know what day or date it is. They just seem to blend into each other.”

Leow lives with her husband and her daughter Emily Yap, 30, in Petaling Jaya. Yap, who is currently working from home, is in charge of running errands and ensuring the home is stocked up.

“I rarely take my mum out to shop for groceries. She usually has a check-up at Universiti Malaya Medical Centre, but because of the surge in Covid-19 cases, we have postponed it to a different date.”

Yap also groused that her mother who has diabetes and high blood pressure doesn’t do enough exercise to keep herself active.

“She sits on the couch with her headphones on the whole day. Once in a blue moon, she will switch on YouTube and do some walking exercises for seniors.”

She added that her mother has also developed a penchant for online shopping, asking her to buy things on online shopping platforms such as Shopee. 

Meanwhile, H.S. Lim, 63, who is retired and was actively doing charity work prior to the pandemic, his daily routine now revolves around fixing things around the home.

“I spend a lot of my time fixing stuff around the house and I also painted the house.

“I do go out once a day to buy food or buy groceries, but I’m always double masked and I won’t get out of the car if there is a crowd,” he said.

Lim said he has also taken up cooking to fill his time.

“My dad is quite strong and very active. I think during this pandemic, it has been him taking care of us and not the other way around,” his daughter Yvonne Lim, 35, said.

Though her father has taken things in stride, she said he has had a hard time adjusting especially since he was always travelling out of state prior to the lockdowns.

“I think it’s tough on him because he’s so used to going out a lot – especially so when our area was under the enhanced movement-control order.

“He couldn’t even step outside for his morning and evening walks, I think that was really tough for him,” she said.

Most states are in phase 1 of the national recovery plan, where only essential sectors are allowed to open and social activities are barred.

Perak, Kelantan, Terengganu, Penang and Pahang have transitioned to phase 2, while Perlis, Sarawak and Labuan are in phase 3.

Last weekend, Muhyiddin announced that fully vaccinated people in phase 2 states may now dine out, travel inter district, take local tours and participate in selected sports.

Health experts, however, have said that it was unwise to lift curbs for the fully vaccinated while daily cases and hospital occupancy remain high. – August 22, 2021.