How are Sun City Residents practicing social distancing due to COVID-19? Some Sun City residents answered that they are using the opportunity to spring clean.
Karen Czerwinski said, “I wish I could give you the prize-winning story but I can’t, all I’m doing is cleaning. Cleaning and more cleaning. This time is giving me a chance to redo my craft room and closet. Not exciting or rewarding.”
Spring cleaning has taken on a new urgency this year. Following the Covid-19 prevention guidance from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, residents are intensely washing, dusting, and disinfecting their homes.
Barry Cianciarulo said, “We are doing spring inside cleaning early. Angie and I are doing 1000-piece jigsaw puzzles. Watching movies. Walking outside, weather permitting, staying away from the clubhouse. Facetime with grandkids and family. I’m watching the four World Series Cubs wins I have on my DVR. It’s amazing how much you forget of the games and scoring that it is exciting all over again.”
Center for Disease Control states on their website “Current evidence suggests that novel coronavirus may remain viable for hours to days on surfaces made from a variety of materials. Cleaning of visibly dirty surfaces followed by disinfection is a best practice measure for prevention of COVID-19 and other viral respiratory illnesses in households and community settings.”
This may have triggered the desire and need for increased cleaning.
Louanne Mauro said, “Well, I am ‘spring cleaning’ more or less. I’m also making big pot meals to freeze. I’ve caught up on calling family and friends that I don’t get to see because of the distance. A phone call, Facetime, or Skype is so much better than email, Facebook, or messaging for personal interaction. You can hear the laugh, the sadness, or just the interest that is shown to what you’re saying. I have a ton of reading material in my house and I read online books available from the library. I work the New York Times and the Washington Post crosswords every day. I am fortunate to have an awesome circle of family and friends, but I have to say that to have this circle, it is necessary to nurture it by reaching out to everyone, not just merely sit waiting for them to come to me. I would encourage people to keep to a regular schedule, get dressed even if not going anywhere, get outdoors for part of the day if only for a short car ride if walking is not realistic. Above all, stay positive and look for the bright side as much as possible and LAUGH! Watch ‘The Golden Girls’ – the show is really relevant to our community.”
Reading and working on Puzzles are also popular activities.
Judy Cieciwa said, “I pulled out a gift Jerry received about 5 years ago. It’s a 500-piece mystery puzzle that must be completed to solve the mystery. No picture is given to help. I call it my “Virus 19” puzzle because it just might kill me before I can figure it out. Seriously, puzzles are great time fillers and the reading room at the lodge has lots of them available for free. You can bring your old puzzles and add them to the collection. Sweet deal. Am-Vets coming next week so I am really going through things to purge. I am texting with the grandkids. It has been great.”
Spring cleaning might produce a few items to donate. Pick-ups by charitable organizations are still available. You can schedule a donation pick-up for the vets online at www.ilamvets.org/schedule-a-pick-up
Other residents are reaching out and offering to pick up groceries, supplies, or help with the isolation. Chris and Larry Wojtas sent this email out to their neighbors. “Neighbors: Times are not fun right now – but I thought that maybe we could help in a very small way. None of us are getting out much and the library is closed. So, we are going to put a cooler outside between our garage doors. If you have any books, either paperback or hardcover that you would like to donate for our neighbors to use, put them in the cooler. You bring a book and/or take a book. If we need two coolers, we can do that as well but we will start with one. Just a small idea to help us pass the time.”
Resident Barbara Mach suggested structure during this time.
“We are following a routine much like our kids and grandkids are doing: reading, housework, outside time, FaceTime with kids, computer time, canceling appointments, catching up on movies. I just started using an app called ‘Marco Polo.’ Keeps me in contact with my grandkids wherever they live. A lot of fun. We also ordered groceries online for pickup,” she said.
Joan Shimabukuro said, “Strange days are here. We’re doing well as can be under the circumstances. Thankfully, no one is sick. Since the Northwestern Medicine fitness center is closed until March 31, we are taking walks with our dog if weather permits. The biggest challenge was finding toilet paper! I took a snapshot of Trader Joe’s brand of facial tissue that claims to be safe for septic tanks.”
Staying active has been a theme among Sun City residents.
Walking enthusiast Carol Schweitzer said, “We used to walk the track every day at the lodge, but since it’s closed, we are walking the basement and we are doing it to music.”
Looking for exercise routines? Sun City has a Fitness Throwback from Kathy Kent. Visit www.sccah.com or like Del Webb Sun City Huntley on Facebook.
Resident Sandra Miller said she and her spouse are being as cautious as they can.
“We are voluntarily self-isolating,” she said. “Reading a lot, cooking healthy recipes, and crafted last week. Family, near and far, staying in touch as a group, via electronic devices. Long phone chats with sister far away. Praying for others. Grateful that spouse still teaching university course, now online, thrice weekly.”
There are many suggestions and offers on the internet on things to keep us busy besides cleaning, reading, doing puzzles. For example, Drury Lane just announced that starting on Monday, March 23, “To keep a little bit of theatre in everyone’s lives, we’re sharing videos on social media from past Drury Lane productions every day for 30 days.” Follow them on Facebook for more information.
If you or someone you know is feeling overwhelmed and anxious due to the magnitude of this situation, please share Behavioral Crisis Services for McHenry County 24/7 Hotline: 800-892-8900.
