Your Voice on COVID-19 - Caring for an elderly, home-bound person

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We've been asking our Sumter Item community to share their stories surrounding COVID-19 and the pandemic's impact on you, your family and friends, work, etc. We want to tell the stories of the people in our community, putting names and people to statistics and trend articles.

To share your story, go to https://bit.ly/3e3kcvf or email editor@theitem.com if you want us to send you a questionnaire. You can also call (803) 774-1235 and leave a voicemail either detailing your story or a callback number.

*Editor's note: While we read through and edit these reader submissions for profanity, personal attacks and what we know to be factual errors, we cannot fact-check all of these personal experiences. The Sumter Item does not endorse opinions that may appear in Your Voice.

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Where do you live?

Clarendon County

Are you a health care worker or other essential employee (grocery store, pharmacy, etc.)?

No

Do you know someone who is sick or has died who you want to honor?

I knew four people who passed away. Two in Clarendon County, one in Orangeburg County, one in New York.

Have you lost your job?

No

Are you working from home, self-isolating or quarantining? What changes have you made? How are you adjusting?

My husband and I are retired. We care for an 85-year-old man who has advancing dementia and lives alone. He understands the pandemic and chose to self-quarantine early. The situation has been very difficult because we have to make sure he has what he needs while keeping ourselves and him safe. We have no choice but to be very careful when we buy food and household supplies for him. We are in his home twice a day. Loneliness is a huge problem for him.

Are you a parent? Tell us about the changes you and your family have made.

Our children are grown and live on their own. They check on us frequently by phone and visit weekly.