Why Your Parents Aren’t Idiots For Not Freaking Out About Coronavirus Like You Are

[mystery-ak]

    Wuhan Virus

Why Your Parents Aren’t Idiots For Not Freaking Out About Coronavirus Like You Are

I asked my parents if they are worried about the coronavirus, and they told me they had been through much worse in their lives. They aren't freaking out like we are because they have seen it all.

By Helen Raleigh
March 23, 2020

My cousin called the other day and sounded very stressed. Come to think of it, who doesn’t feel a bit stressed these days? Her source of stress was her parents, who are in their 70s. She complained they would not take this Wuhan coronavirus outbreak seriously.

What she really meant was that they are not making the same choices about it that she is. Neither of her parents wear the masks she sent them when they are out and about, they didn’t stock up on hand sanitizer or toilet paper, her dad still planned to attend his weekly Toastmasters meeting, and her mom was getting ready to see her friends from the wine club this week. They were both bummed when their gatherings got canceled.

My cousin was beside herself. She couldn’t understand why in the world her parents wouldn’t take the coronavirus threat seriously, or why they still planned to carry out their normal routines, even given the abundance of medical data demonstrating that the elderly are the most vulnerable group in this pandemic.

My cousin is not the only one frustrated with her aging parents. I have heard many similar complaints from others. In fact, there is a growing number of advice columns aiming to arm millennials and Gen Xers with more data, information, and strategies for how to convince their aging parents to take the pandemic seriously. But what if our parents are taking the coronavirus seriously, just in their own way, rather than by freaking out like we are?

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https://thefederalist.com/2020/03/23/why-your-parents-arent-idiots-for-not-freaking-out-about-coronavirus-like-you-are/

[deb]

Yes!!

[Free Vulcan]

The best thing to do is be smart. Boomers tend to think they're still 25 and invincible.

Sorry, but if you're in your 70's you need to be careful. Not hide in your bunker hole, but don't cock swagger around in defiance and court it either.

At that age, even if it doesn't kill you it can knock the crap out of you and impair lung function. The medical system doesn't need the extra burden from people that refuse to take precautions.

There are too many Americans that can't chill out from their routine even for a couple of weeks. They are almost as bad as the sky-is-falling crowd.

[skeeter]

The best thing to do is be smart. Boomers tend to think they're still 25 and invincible.

Sorry, but if you're in your 70's you need to be careful. Not hide in your bunker hole, but don't cock swagger around in defiance and court it either.

At that age, even if it doesn't kill you it can knock the crap out of you and impair lung function. The medical system doesn't need the extra burden from people that refuse to take precautions.

There are too many Americans that can't chill out from their routine even for a couple of weeks. They are almost as bad as the sky-is-falling crowd.

Older folks are more likely to understand that with living comes risk. The best you can do is use the common sense God gave you and leave the rest to chance.

They also are more likely to understand that stressing out is the worst thing one can do to their health.

[catfish1957]

Older folks are more likely to understand that with living comes risk. The best you can do is use the common sense God gave you and leave the rest to chance.

They also are more likely to understand that stressing out is the worst thing one can do to their health.

Not trying to throw a philosphical bend on this discussion, but those say like myself that are over 60 may see that an hyper-extended self imposed isolation may be taking a signifcant percentage of "enjoyable life" yet.  Do we want to live 5-20% of the rest of our lives cooped up in Mi' Casa Prison?  The answers might surprise you.

[truth_seeker]

I was drafted at age 20, leaving behind a 19 year old wife, 1 year old daughter.

Ft. Ord was on full quarantine for Spinal Menangitus, which mean restriced movements, sleeping with windows wide open. I was there for about 9 months.

Our social distancing was hundreds of miles, waiting to complete training, learn of next assignment.

Later that year, they joined me in the tiniest apartment in Germany. Bitterly cold winter for them. She learned to ride the bus across town to shop. TV in German. No gym to bitch about closing. No car (yet).

In those times coping,adapting were far more difficult than living in our  Me-me-me, instant gratification  digital world today.

   

[DCPatriot]

I was drafted at age 20, leaving behind a 19 year old wife, 1 year old daughter.

Ft. Ord was on full quarantine for Spinal Menangitus, which mean restriced movements, sleeping with windows wide open. I was there for about 9 months.

Our social distancing was hundreds of miles, waiting to complete training, learn of next assignment.

Later that year, they joined me in the tiniest apartment in Germany. Bitterly cold winter for them. She learned to ride the bus across town to shop. TV in German. No gym to bitch about closing. No car (yet).

In those times coping,adapting were far more difficult than living in our  Me-me-me, instant gratification  digital world today.

   

Hear!  Hear!!   

[Idiot]

Talked with a friend today that I play tennis with...he's mid 70's.  His comment was...I can't understand why everyone is so concerned...if its my time then it's my time.  Tougher generation than the younger bunch.

[goatprairie]

Not trying to throw a philosphical bend on this discussion, but those say like myself that are over 60 may see that an hyper-extended self imposed isolation may be taking a signifcant percentage of "enjoyable life" yet.  Do we want to live 5-20% of the rest of our lives cooped up in Mi' Casa Prison?  The answers might surprise you.

I'm 70, the wife is 65. When the weather gets a little nicer we plan to get in the car and do a little cruising. However, we will not stop and go into stores/crowded places.
The only problem is that it will have to be a fairly short cruise as she needs to visit the water closet frequently.
But we will get out of the house. We can also walk in front of the house and down our street as we live semi-rural and just about never encounter anybody while walking.
I do feel sorry for older people who live in crowded environments.
But I'm sure there are other old crusties like me and the wife who are able to get out without coming in close contact with others.

[catfish1957]

I'm 70, the wife is 65. When the weather gets a little nicer we plan to get in the car and do a little cruising. However, we will not stop and go into stores/crowded places.
The only problem is that it will have to be a fairly short cruise as she needs to visit the water closet frequently.
But we will get out of the house. We can also walk in front of the house and down our street as we live semi-rural and just about never encounter anybody while walking.
I do feel sorry for older people who live in crowded environments.
But I'm sure there are other old crusties like me and the wife who are able to get out without coming in close contact with others.

Similar situation here.  I have plenty of acreage to roam around.  My point of case study is a friend of ours, a lady in her mid '70s.  She lives alone in a small abode.  Her entire life revolves around going to the several retail stores and mingling with other customers.  It's how she wants to live her life, and really has thrown caution to the wind, as far as minimizing contact in public.  I think she realizes the danger, but she would rather take the risk, than go through cabin fever. 

[Bigun]

.0048% of the world has coronavirus.

[roamer_1]

FEAR drives the bus.

[jmyrlefuller]

The best thing to do is be smart. Boomers tend to think they're still 25 and invincible.

Sorry, but if you're in your 70's you need to be careful. Not hide in your bunker hole, but don't cock swagger around in defiance and court it either.

At that age, even if it doesn't kill you it can knock the crap out of you and impair lung function. The medical system doesn't need the extra burden from people that refuse to take precautions.

There are too many Americans that can't chill out from their routine even for a couple of weeks. They are almost as bad as the sky-is-falling crowd.

On the other hand, because getting it that age is far more likely to knock a person out of commission, that also means that there is less of a chance of there being an asymptotic carrier of the disease in their midst, if they hang out with people of a similar age.

[Idiot]

FEAR drives the bus.

It sounds like the President is toying with the idea of putting people back to work after 15 days.  Probably not a bad idea.

[roamer_1]

It sounds like the President is toying with the idea of putting people back to work after 15 days.  Probably not a bad idea.

Hell yes. Shouldn't have taken em out of work in the first place. $2T worth of shouldn't have.

[txradioguy]

Hell yes. Shouldn't have taken em out of work in the first place. $2T worth of shouldn't have.

 

[Idiot]

Hell yes. Shouldn't have taken em out of work in the first place. $2T worth of shouldn't have.

I'm going to swallow my pride and admit that you may be right.  Every other country was shutting down though....so it makes sense that we did it too.  But like I say....you may turn out to be right.

[libertybele]

It sounds like the President is toying with the idea of putting people back to work after 15 days.  Probably not a bad idea.

We have about 8 more days remaining of that 15.  New York's numbers have absolutely skyrocketed.  Deaths are rising.  Testing is really just beginning.  Unless some really really good news happens, like NY numbers start to go down, I wouldn't get too excited.  Right now Governor DeSanits is toying with the idea of "sheltering in" in Florida.  Beaches are closed and now even state parks are closed. In one week, Florida's cases have more than tripled. Yes we're doing more testing, but it still indicates how rapidly and easily this virus spreads.  In my county a lot is shut down anyways.  I'm prepared for it and expecting it as cases rise in south Florida.

[roamer_1]

I'm going to swallow my pride and admit that you may be right.  Every other country was shutting down though....so it makes sense that we did it too.  But like I say....you may turn out to be right.

 

My only point would be that we ain't ever done 'like other countries', and sure as heck should not start now. It's like them whoop-dee-dos they put in here instead of intersections... Two years later they're pullin em back out. Some moron in County Planning thinking we should be more like Europe, sure enough.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

I am old enough to remember the polio vaccine being mandatory for every person in America.

I was young, and we all had to line up down at the school for shots, which were painful and left a permanent scare on the arm.

It was spectacularly successful, as polio was eliminated in this country.  Before the vaccine, I recall seeing young people on crutches and metal leg assists.  Very depressing.

The decimation that came with polio had a severe debilitating condition even if those infected lived.

And notice how fast the vaccine, once introduced, was effective.