Take additional care of Elderly during Corona Pandemic

 Who are Elderly?

As per WHO, Geriatric people or Elderly are the people who are of age 60 years & above.

What is the need?

Elderly people are one of the most vulnerable categories for COVID-19 infection. They are at high risk of death due to decreased immunity, many co-morbid conditions & different treatment regimes. Therefore Elderly should be protected from getting COVID-19 infection by taking extra care. 

How to reduce risk of infection?

• Elderly should stay at home & should avoid meeting visitors at home.
• Should maintain social distancing of minimum one meter & avoid physical contacts.
• Their hands should be washed with soap and water for minimum of 20 seconds.
• Frequently touched surfaces should be cleaned with disinfectants regularly.
• Sneeze and cough either into tissue paper / handkerchief which has to be disposed into a closed bin.
• Proper nutrition of Elderly should be ensured through home cooked fresh hot meals.
• They should maintain adequate hydration with frequent intake of warm water.
• They should do regular moderate exercise (like walking) and meditation.
• They should have exposure to sunlight for a minimum of 30 minutes as it helps to increase the Vitamin D levels.
• They should avoid alcohol and tobacco related products.
• They should have adequate sleep for 8 hours.
• Family members should talk to them and they should also talk to friends via phone call or video call. 
• Family members should always be ready to help the elderly whenever needed.
• Talk to your doctor & postpone the elective surgeries (if any) like cataract surgery or total knee replacement till situation becomes normal.
• Health of the elderly should be monitored regularly. Monitor their blood pressure & blood sugar level daily.
• If they develop fever, cough and/or breathing difficulty immediately contact nearest health care facility and follow the medical advice given.
• Do not do self-medication.
• Do not go to hospital for routine checkup or follow up. 
• As far as possible make tele-consultation with your healthcare provider using online platforms.
• They should continue the regular medications for the chronic diseases without fail to avoid complications.
• They should not go to crowded places like parks, markets and religious places.
• Should not go out unless it is absolutely essential.
• Should engage in physical activities (walking in the balcony or terrace) and practice the forgotten hobbies.
• Always think positively.
• Keep the windows of room open for cross ventilation.
• Care givers should wash hands before & after giving physical assistance to the older persons.
• Work- from- home option for the youngsters in the family can limit the risk of exposure.
• If possible, a separate house/room may be arranged for elderly persons in the family. 
• Their medication should be arranged beforehand by younger members of the family.
• Make frequent communication to elderly staying far from your home by phone calls or video calls or whats app massages to prevent loneliness, anxiety and depression.
• Set up emergency contacts & speed dials for the time of need.

References:

1. https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-on-on-covid-19-for-older-people
2. https://www.unicef.org/india/stories/caring-elderly-during-covid-19-pandemic
3. https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-on-on-covid-19-for-older-people
4. https://healthlibrary.askapollo.com/taking-care-of-elderly-at-home-during-covid-19/
5. https://www.dreamstime.com/illustration/home-safety-senior.html photo credit
6. https://www.123rf.com/photo_128161284_stock-vector-elderly-people-professional-social-help-service-workers-volunteers-family-support-flat-cartoon-eleme.html photo credit
7. http://professionals.site.apic.org/infection-prevention-basics/clean-your-hands-often/ photo credit
8. https://www.alimentarium.org/en/magazine/nutrition/what-exactly-balanced-meal photo credit
9. https://goxomed.en.made-in-china.com/product/tCaJuMRbHdVg/China-LCD-Display-Arm-Digital-Blood-Pressure-Monitor-for-Elderly.html photo credit
10. https://www.spine-health.com/treatment/pain-management/medications-neuropathic-pain photo credit