The coronavirus that causes COVID-19 is so contagious that your senior needs to be prepared to self-quarantine for at least a few weeks. That means that you and she both need to have a plan of action.
Figure out Who You Can Lean on Right Now
If you didn’t already have a team of people on whom you could rely, now is most definitely the time to fix that. Put together a list of friends and family that may be able to help you and your senior with errands and other tasks. But there may be more help that you need right now. Senior care providers can help your senior with specific tasks while also ensuring that she’s as safe as possible from exposure to illness.
Determine What Your Senior Needs and Has
Taking inventory is a crucial part of ensuring your senior is ready for a self-quarantine situation. She’s going to need food, general household supplies, and even possibly medications. There’s no need to stock up on too much, though. Two weeks of supplies should be plenty at a time. This ensures that she doesn’t run into issues with storage and that she’s able to feel confident that she doesn’t need to go out, too.
Put Together a Plan for Communicating with Your Senior
You and you’re senior need a plan for communicating with each other, too. Self-quarantine can very quickly become a lonely, isolated situation and that’s not what you want for your elderly family member. Make sure that you set up times and ways to communicate that are going to be helpful for her and informative for you. These conversations are a way to stay in touch, but they can also help you to determine what your senior needs and how you can help her.
Keep Yourself Healthy, Too
It’s also really important for you to be keeping yourself as healthy as possible. This means following all of the current recommendations from the CDC around social distancing, wearing face masks when you go out in public, and washing your hands often. Take time to focus on your own self-care so that you’re not running yourself down.
As a caregiver, you may feel as if you always need to have a plan, but it’s especially important for you to have a plan for the coronavirus pandemic. Your senior needs to be able to avoid people who are sick as much as possible and that means that she’s relying on your help.
The staff at Home Care Matters is available to talk with you and your family about all of your needs. Home Care Matters is a home care agency providing quality and affordable Home Health Care in Flowery Branch, GA, and surrounding areas. Call (770) 965.4004 for more information.
Valerie has the unique experience with home care as she has experienced it from both ends of the spectrum, as a caregiver and as needing care herself as a cancer survivor. Valerie says, “Taking care of someone you love is a physically, mentally and demanding labor of love.Taking care of my mom was the hardest thing I have ever done. It has given me an insight and perspective not many people understand unless you are doing it or have done it.I loved taking care of my mom.I love helping others take care of their love ones too.And now that I’ve been sick, it’s given me a whole new level of empathy and understanding for those who are sick and need help.”
Valerie’s schedule varies daily, but she loves visiting with our clients, families, caregivers, our network partners and being in the office.Says Valerie, “Every day is different, but I wake up excited about what we do, inspired by our team, clients and caregivers.I strive to be a resource to the community.I love my team and I love what we do every day. I like to think my mom would be proud.”
You can reach Valerie by email (Valerie@homecarematters.com) or in our office (770.965.4004).
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