How to Protect Seniors From the Coronavirus

The coronavirus – the world’s worst pandemic ever – is a disease that far too many Americans are familiar with today.

While anyone can contract this disease, recent statistics show 80% of all deaths from this disease are with people who are considered high-risk.

People in this category include seniors over the age of 60 and anyone with existing health issues. If you care for your senior parent or work with seniors, you should prepare for the risks of this disease.

To do this, you should learn the most important steps you can take to protect seniors and other high-risk individuals.

Here are some of the top ways you can protect and prepare in this event.

Keep Them Isolated

When the coronavirus found its way to the US, lawmakers initially began promoting the concept of social distancing.

Social distancing is not something that Americans were overly familiar with, yet it is a vital aspect of controlling a major spread of disease.

Using social distancing with seniors is an effective way to reduce the chances of them contracting this health issue.

One useful step of this is isolation. Isolating seniors from the world, the public, and other individuals can make a huge difference. To do this, you must limit the contact of other individuals with seniors.

You can accomplish this by limiting access to people that come in contact with seniors. If you have a senior in your home with you, don’t let others come to your house. If you work in a nursing home, set up rules with visitors.

If your parents live at a home on their own, help them set up rules with visitors.

If you only allow necessary individuals to have contact with seniors, you limit the germs they come in contact with.

Isolation is a primary tool you can use to protect seniors from this highly contagious virus. Studies continue to show that isolation is one of the most effective ways to flatten the curve with cases of the coronavirus.

Use Excellent Hygiene Habits

Secondly, developing and using excellent hygiene habits is a necessity when caring for seniors. In general, though, this is an essential step for everyone during a national crisis like this.

Here are several tips to help you learn what this involves:

• Washing your hands with antibacterial soap for at least 20 seconds in warm water
• Washing your hands after doing things such as using the bathroom, working with food, touching your face, and going out in public
• Wearing a mask when you are around other people
• Using hand sanitizer often throughout the day

Practicing these kinds of hygiene habits can reduce the risks of transmitting the virus to seniors you come in contact with. Not only should you follow these tips, though, but you should also encourage all seniors to as well.

Use Telemedicine Doctor Visits

Seniors tend to visit doctors more frequently than people in other age categories. To protect seniors, you should limit doctor visits by attending an appointment only when it is necessary.

If seniors need well visits, they can complete these through telemedicine visits. A telemedicine visit is a meeting with a doctor that occurs over the phone or computer.

Seniors may need assistance using technology to complete these types of appointments, so you should help as needed. You should also encourage telemedicine visits whenever possible instead of in-person visits.

If there is a reason that a senior needs to see a doctor in person or have a procedure completed, call the facility first and ask what special precautions you should take before arriving.

Promote Fitness and Healthy Eating

Researchers believe that the state of a person’s immune system plays a critical role in whether a person becomes sick from this virus. It also plays a role in the death rates from the coronavirus.

Seniors naturally have weaker immune systems than people in younger age groups.

A great way to prepare for fighting this enemy is by promoting fitness and healthy eating. Both of these things can improve a senior’s immune system.

An improvement in a person’s immune system provides them with a better chance of fighting the disease if they contract it.

One way you can help seniors with this is by offering them healthy foods and snacks. Citrus fruits, fresh vegetables, and almonds are all great options that boost the immune system.

Offering supplements and vitamins to seniors may also help. Vitamin C, for example, is effective at boosting the immune system.

Utilizing senior fitness tips is another smart move. If you can encourage seniors to get up and get active, they may become stronger and healthier. If this occurs, they will naturally have a higher chance of fighting the virus.

Provide Them With Everything They Need

One last tip to follow is making sure you provide seniors with everything they need. If they do, they will have less to worry about and will be able to continue life as normally as possible.

If you have senior parents who live alone, call them and ask what they need. Offer to drop off all the supplies and necessities on their doorstep. By doing this, you can limit the exposure they have to this deadly virus.

Prepare by Making a Plan to Protect Seniors

Protect seniors through careful precautions and steps, which may reduce their chances of contracting this disease.

Whether you assist one senior or many, you can prepare for this event by following the tips listed here. Creating a plan for this is the first step in stopping the spread of the coronavirus.

If you have further questions or concerns about protecting seniors and other high-risk individuals, check out the rest of our site for more information, suggestions, and strategies.