Our hints and tips will help you through this time of Coronavirus restrictions. We have included ideas for help with grocery shopping, seeking medical assistance, and keeping mentally, physically and socially active.
Help with grocery shopping
- Ask a family member, friend or neighbour to shop for you
- Alzheimer’s WA can also support you by doing your shopping for you
- Coles Online Priority Service – for vulnerable customers to order online and have shopping delivered.
Seeking medical assistance
Telehealth
Telehealth scheme allows doctors, nurses and mental health professionals to deliver services via telehealth (video link) or by telephone.
People who may be eligible include those who are 70+ years of age (or 50+ for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people), people self-isolating at home, or those with chronic health conditions or are immunocompromised.
Examples of possible video applications include FaceTime and Skype (medical practitioners must be satisfied that their chosen options for telehealth and telephone services meet current standards and laws regarding privacy and information security).
Electronic Prescribing
The Government has introduced electronic prescribing to help protect people most at-risk. This allows doctors to prepare an electronic prescription that can be shared with pharmacies that support home delivery.
Australia Post- Pharmacy Home Delivery Service
From 30 March, pharmacies can offer free delivery on prescriptions to their customers using Australia Post’s national network.
The initiative incorporates Australia Post’s contactless delivery in line with current COVID-19 guidelines.
The new delivery option supports those isolating at home on the advice of a medical practitioner, people over 70 and people with chronic health conditions.
Allows vulnerable members of the community to receive medication and other essential supplies (under 500 grams) through Australia Post’s Express Post network, once a month, and pharmacies can receive the full cost back through government rebate.
Tips for keeping socially engaged
- Talk over the phone
- Video call through FaceTime, Skype or Zoom
- Send emails
- Send postcards, photos or artwork
- Send short video messages or clips
- Join an online Community Chat Group
- Keep up to date with the news but avoid sensationalism or misinformation which can increase anxiety. Rely on trusted sources (WA Department of Health website or World Health Organisation). Checking the news once or twice a day is enough.
Ideas for keeping physically active
- Gardening
- Seated exercises
- Old workout DVDs
- Look up exercise routines on YouTube, lots available online for all fitness levels and age ranges
- Get some sun – not too much, but fresh air and sun at the right time can lift our mood. When the UV index is below 3 (download the free SunSmart App which will tell you the UV rating at your location and when sun protection is recommended) get outside in the garden.
Eat healthy foods
- Eat a variety of foods from each of the five main food groups
- Include – vitamin C (fruits and vegetables), zinc (animal products, nuts and seeds) and iron (meat, beans, lentils and spinach) as being low on these can make it more difficult for the body to defend against winter bugs. The LiveLighter website has recipe ideas.
- Stay hydrated. Keep a bottle of water in sight to remind you to drink water during the day.
Tips for staying mentally active
- Music – put together a music playlist of songs you enjoy
- Sing and dance
- Puzzles and board games
- Art and craft, painting, drawing, colouring in
- Get the photo albums out and look through photos
- Think back to favourite holidays or outings and go on a ‘virtual tour’ of the same place by looking it up online
- Create your own life story
- Virtual tours – search online for a range of virtual tours of museums, galleries or zoos
- Join the State Library of WA and access their Mystery Box service to request a mystery box of library items. Each box will have 7 – 10 items. You can request a combination of fiction, non-fiction or junior fiction. Online they also have:
- Watch FREE movies and documentaries
- Download FREE music, audio books and oral histories
- Listen to FREE music, audio books and oral histories
- Read FREE eNewspapers, eMagazines and eBooks
- Learn a language for FREE
- Discover more about your family history for FREE
- Entertain the kids with FREE games, activities and movies
- Search our online catalogue for pictures, diaries, maps and ephemera
- “Ask a Librarian” – FREE online service.
You may also be interested in Tips to stay safe while out during Coronavirus restrictions.
