Virus Prevention for Seniors and In-Home Caregivers in Bethesda, MD and Surrounding Areas

In-home care providers and seniors in Bethesda, Aspen Hill, Silver Spring and surrounding areas in Maryland should follow these health and safety precautions – both to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to ward off seasonal illnesses

The coronavirus pandemic has turned our lives upside down and has changed how we interact with one another. So it’s only natural that you may be concerned about caring for a senior loved one who may be extremely susceptible to COVID-19.

So how do you keep your senior loved one safe from a highly infectious disease like the coronavirus?

Alecia Pineo is the owner and director of Visiting Angels Mid-Maine and is also a registered nurse. She has shared some simple ways that we can make sure that our senior loved ones are as protected as possible, while still providing proper in-home care.

Back to the Basics of Hygiene During the Coronavirus Pandemic

The biggest tip that Pineo offers when dealing with the spread of the coronavirus is to, “Act as if you have come into contact with a virus that has contaminated your clothes and belongings”. Having this sort of mindset will help you be extra careful about what you touch and how frequently you wash your hands.

She says that it’s important for caregivers that are providing in-home senior care to understand that, “You’re clean and ready to provide care if you wash your hands, put on your mask, don’t touch your face, and clean all high-touch objects and surfaces”. It’s also critical to understand that gloves can still carry germs, so it’s important to change gloves often and to regularly wash your hands while providing in-home care.

Much of the work in preventing viruses from spreading while providing in-home senior care is to observe basic personal hygiene. Keeping a mask on both individuals is also critically important in stopping possible spread of viruses.

Grocery Shopping and Running Errands

Pineo also encourages people to really minimize the amount of personal belongings they bring with them into a grocery store, or when traveling to other places. She says that you can sanitize groceries that you buy once you get home, and while out, you can follow some of these tips:

• Not bringing unnecessary items into a store or new place
• Wipe down contact surfaces such as doorknobs, handles, credit cards and grocery bag handles
• Have hand sanitizer with you at all times and keep hand sanitizing wipes in your car
• Once home, wash down fruits, vegetables and other packaged foods

Use these tips and check out Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidelines on stopping the spread of the coronavirus. And to learn more about how our in-home caregivers can make a positive impact in the life of your senior loved one, contact our Bethesda, MD office today.