Coronavirus ... The New Normal?

Covid-19 also referred to as coronavirus has changed our lives. Our interaction with people is new: faces behind masks, elbow-bumps instead of hugs, hand sanitizer clipped to our sides. Social gatherings are limited. Online communication is now the norm for everything, including work, possibly school, and chats with our loved ones. What can we do to love from afar, to be there for our seniors?

The time has been coined as “The New Normal” and if so, how will we continue to 1. stay calm, 2. ensure our seniors are safe, cared for, and feel loved, and 3. slow the spread of coronavirus? We don't claim to have all the answers, but here are a few suggestions we'd like to share.

Stay Calm

The possibility of having a contagious illness is scary, but doctors, nurses, and caregivers worldwide are learning more about COVID-19 every day. Remind your loved one that the coronavirus situation will improve. Encourage your senior to take breaks from watching, reading, and listening to the news, which can fuel anxiety. Finally, talking things through ahead of time as a family can reduce stress and help everyone feel more involved and prepared.

Taking Care of Seniors

It's important to stay in regular contact with a senior during self-isolation and help ensure your loved one remains physically, mentally, and emotionally healthy. A Visiting Angels caregiver can help in this regard. However, we encourage friends and family members to maintain contact with their loved ones and be involved in their care planning as much as possible. Make sure they stay safe by limiting their time outside of their home, again this is an area that our caregivers can help with: picking up groceries, prescriptions, and other errands for them. Having your caregiver set-up weekly video chats with your senior so that you can (virtually) be with them. Do things that they love, like sending them a nice card, they love handwritten notes and pictures from their grandkids.

What You Can Do to Protect Yourself and Your Family

You and your loved ones can support infection control by taking the following steps:

Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds and avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. Your Visiting Angels Omaha caregiver can help with tips.
Avoid crowds and, wherever possible, practice social distancing of remaining at a distance of six feet away from strangers, as recommended by the CDC.
Prohibit visitors who are not essential in the home.
Clean touched surfaces in your home often, as well as mobility and medical equipment such as walkers, canes, and handrails
Avoid sharing household items with your loved one including dishes, drinking glasses, utensils, towels, and bedding.
Wash laundry thoroughly. Immediately remove and wash clothes or bedding that have any bodily fluids on them. Wear gloves when handling these items and wash your hands immediately after removing your gloves.
Eat well, drink lots of water, and rest to keep your immune system healthy.
Contact your physician immediately if you experience a change in your condition requiring additional care such as a fever, cough, or shortness of breath.
Contact the local health department and our office should you have any confirmed interaction with high-risk individuals.

Finally, Let Us Help Your Seniors

At Visiting Angels Omaha, the health and safety of our clients and caregivers are our top priority. We're committed to persevere during COVID-19 and to continue providing our clients with the highest standard of care. We want to reassure you that we are monitoring this situation closely. We are following guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and taking precautions including proper handwashing, staying home when sick, and wearing a mask. All to help prevent the spread of the virus and properly care for our clients.

Also, our caregivers are trained to watch for signs that your loved one's condition may be changing due to a new illness or complication or an ongoing health condition and to report these conditions immediately. This is especially critical with the long incubation period associated with COVID-19.

Getting started is easy. Simply call Visiting Angels Omaha today. We can match your loved one with a caregiver who can provide the assistance they need. Respite care is offered on an hourly basis so you can establish the frequency and scope of care that best meets your needs. Because our home care services are flexible, should your loved one require more engaged care in the future, we can expand our role to include:

We're America's Choice in Home Care … Let us be your choice too!