Virus Prevention Tips for Senior Caregivers in Annapolis, MD and Surrounding Areas

Here’s how senior caregivers can stay safe and take care of their health so they can continue to provide in-home care to seniors in Annapolis, Millersville, Pasadena, Arnold, Glen Burnie and surrounding areas in Maryland

The current coronavirus pandemic has certainly changed our lives and how we interact with one another. It’s normal to be anxious about the care you’re providing to your senior loved one who may be particularly vulnerable to COVID-19.

So, how can you or the senior caregivers you hire from Visiting Angels Annapolis to care for your loved one keep them safe from an infectious disease like the coronavirus?

Alecia Pineo is the director of Visiting Angels Mid-Maine and a registered nurse, and is offering some simple and effective ways to ensure our senior loved ones are protected from contagions.

Back to the Basics During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Alecia Pineo says that, when dealing with the coronavirus, it’s important to “act as if you have come into contact with a virus that has contaminated your clothes and your belongings”. This means that it’s very important for home care providers to understand that they are clean and ready to provide care only once they’ve washed their hands, put on their mask and cleaned any high-touch objects.

She further says that, “It’s good to wear gloves, but not if wearing them creates a false safety net. Gloves still get dirty, and you can spread germs. Don’t forget to change gloves often, and wash your hands as well”.

Much of what senior caregivers can do to prevent the spread of viruses like the coronavirus is just observing basic hygiene. 

The Principle of Separation

The advice Pineo provides when it comes to dealing with the spread of the coronavirus is keeping objects separate and clean in order to minimize the germs’ ability to travel from one place to another. Some hygiene tips senior caregivers can follow when tending to a senior are:

• Putting long hair up into a bun
• Keeping wearable jewelry to a minimum
• Wearing short sleeves as it leaves less surface area for germs to stick on to
• Bring clean shoes to put on in the house so that you aren’t spreading germs you may have picked up outside
• Wear clean clothes, and wash clothes after wearing them once
• Use bags that can be wiped down or disinfected

It’s also important to minimize personal belongings that you’re bringing into a senior’s home. Pineo says that it’s important to sanitize groceries and other items that you have brought in from outside. You can also take extra steps by sanitizing hands often with hand gel when outside, and keeping sanitizing wipes inside your vehicle.

For more suggestions feel free to follow guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and to learn more about how our in-home care services can make a positive impact on your senior loved one, contact our Millersville, MD office today.