Simple Tips to Keep Loved Ones Safe During the Pandemic

People are planning to get vaccinated and manage the Covid-19 outbreak worldwide. While they are at it, a certain group of people is at a greater risk of catching the virus as they are more vulnerable to it: our elderly. That said, it is essential to make efficient plans for their safety not only in nursing homes but also within multigenerational family homes.

Numerous studies have proven that older people have a compromised immune system, which puts them at a greater risk of suffering from COVID. This vulnerability leads to the potential threat of spreading the virus across the communities. Besides, it also keeps families on the edge as they ponder how to protect their elderly from the virus.

The Importance of Understanding the Risk

Before we move towards our list of preventive measures on protecting our elderly from the virus, it is essential to assess the importance of the risk first. In other words, it is essential to understand that there are a few things that we don’t have control over, such as the aging process. However, the good news is that we have control over how we respond to things and how we can implement preventive measures to safeguard and protect our elderly people from the pandemic.

Accepting the risk is the first step towards the successful implementation of protective measures. After accepting that a danger exists, we can move on to safeguarding our elderly by keeping them away from crowded places and ensuring that they stay at home until the worst is over. Typically, people who are older than 65 and who have some sort of ongoing diseases, such as heart issues and cancer, are at a greater risk of falling prey to the disease.

Here are some ways our elderly citizens can be protected from the virus:

Sanitize Hands

This one is a no-brainer. We all know the importance of sanitizing hands and washing them properly for at least 20 seconds. By encouraging the elderly to sanitize their hands after regular intervals and ensuring to not touch their eyes and face, you can help them stay safe. Also, make sure that your home and workplace are clean, disinfected, especially the areas with more public traffic and touch spots, such as doorknobs and switchboards.

Re-arrange Living Situations

Depending on one’s age group, people are at different risk levels of catching the virus. If the elderly are sharing the roof with other family members of different ages, it is essential to consider the risks our elderly are at. You can help older family members by incorporating rules that ensure no personal belongings are shared between the family members, such as utensils, food, towels, etc. Another essential way to prioritize the safety and protection of your elderly family members is by keeping their things separated and keeping a section of your house ready in case someone falls ill.

Incorporate a Proper Caregiving Plan

There is a great chance that a majority of the elderly live in a residential place that is explicitly designed for their care. That said, caregivers and the receivers of their care should come up with a proper caregiving plan, including the determination of who provides care and how it is provided. As a caregiver, you should assess and monitor the living conditions of the elderly people under your care. Make sure to keep tabs on the health conditions of the people and have a plan b ready if a viral infection affects the elderly people.

Once you detect someone in the living community is showing COVID symptoms, you must take immediate action so that no elderly gets exposed to the virus.

Stay in Touch

Since the pandemic has hit the globe, we are dealing with government-imposed lockdowns to keep people safe and healthy. However, while this is essential for people’s safety, it is essential to know that social isolation can seriously affect one’s mental health, especially our elderly people. That said, if your parents are old and currently being taken care of by some professional caregivers, you must come up with an efficient plan to keep the conversation open and stay updated on the wellbeing of your elderly. Also, if you live far away and cannot visit your elderly, make sure to stay in touch with the community where your parents or elderly loved ones are residing. If you are an elderly citizen and living alone, you should have a plan ready to deal with health complications and connect with a public health organization.

Final Thoughts

Despite that vaccines are being provided, the situation of COVID is still not under control, which is why it is essential to stay updated about which areas are safe to travel to and which spots should be avoided at all costs. It is equally important to keep medical supplies stocked and focus on a good diet.