Idaho’s seniors try to adjust lives to cope with heightened coronavirus danger
Early Wednesday morning, in this era of social distancing and stay-home orders, a line wrapped around two sides of the Costco on Cole Road. People in line, almost all senior citizens, tried to maintain distance, but the “6-foot rule” wasn’t always strictly followed.
Costco, like Albertsons, Fred Meyer, the Boise Co-Op and more, is open at certain times on select days of the week for those 60 and older, and those with disabilities or immunodeficiencies. Costco’s special hours for seniors are 8-9 a.m. Tuesday through Thursday. The time frame is 7-9 a.m. at participating Albertsons stores (Tuesdays and Thursdays) and 7-8 a.m. at participating Fred Meyer stores, Monday through Thursday.
This is all an attempt to create a safer shopping space for those at higher risk of infection, severe illness and even death from the coronavirus.
Shari Keyes, a regular Costco shopper who said she has avoided going to the store for the past two months, appreciates it.
“This is the first one. I came because of just the safety of the limit of people and special hours,” Keyes said. “The spread of the virus and my age make me not want to be around a lot of people.”
The older generation is at higher risk of having a bad outcome from the coronavirus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In Idaho, 339 of the confirmed cases were 50 or older as of Wednesday night. That accounted for just over half of the 673 confirmed cases at that time. But of the 10 confirmed deaths, eight were 60 or older, and three of those were over the age of 80. There were no details for the remaining two.
This has led health experts to recommend self-isolation at home for people in this age group, especially if they have underlying heart or lung issues.
“Keep your distance from others, including your own family,” suggested Dr. Wayne McCormick, head of gerontology and geriatric medicine at the University of Washington Medicine. “I know that’s difficult because many people in our community are very attached to their children, their grandchildren.”
It also can be difficult because many people in that age group have concerns beyond the virus, be it finances, finding much-needed items or supplying groceries for their families.
Ron Wilson, 66, said Wednesday at Costco that he has taken advantage of the set-aside hours at other stores because it allows him to get the basic necessities.
“Heck yeah, it’s been useful. Can’t get toilet paper unless you do that. It’s (coronavirus) definitely on your mind, but I got a family,” Wilson said.
Sandra Pierson, who lives in the Boise area, attempted to go to Costco last week for the special shopping hour but was met with all parking lots filled to capacity.
“The lines to the store ran alongside the building in both directions. There was no social distancing being practiced,” Pierson said in an email. “Our elderly population is so vital to the health of our families and our communities. What we witnessed was a huge wake-up call into the mindset of our citizens and their lack of appreciation for the seriousness of COVID-19.”
Pierson, who said she ended up shopping at Fred Meyer that day, said she is concerned about the enforcement of social distancing in stores. She said the lines that day scared her, “to see so many elderly people, our most vulnerable generation, standing shoulder to shoulder and body to body in line.”
Monica Kush also shopped Wednesday at Costco. “We are coming this early because we are over 60,” she said. “Oh sure, the coronavirus is a concern, because there is a pandemic and it’s spreading like wildfire and people are dying.” But getting necessities at the store is still a necessity, she said.
Robin Warren, 63, a two-time cancer survivor from Twin Falls, is one of the 60-somethings who is concerned about her health and her ability to work. An employee at Goodwill, she took some time to self-isolate, but then she ran out of paid time off. Now Goodwill stores are shut down temporarily, so Warren will be eligible for unemployment — part of a huge influx of new claims.
“I am kind of afraid I am going to get caught between the cracks,” Warren said.
This story was originally published April 2, 2020 at 1:34 PM.
