How Can I Address Worries about Coronavirus & My Senior Parent?

Coronavirus has left everyone scrambling to do what they can to protect the most vulnerable members of our population. Although no one can predict how a person’s body will respond to the virus, it’s clear that seniors and those who have health conditions are most likely to experience complications. Ideally, your aging loved one won’t catch the virus, and you can take action now to keep him or her safe.

Explain the Importance of Following Health Warnings

Multiple governments have issued warnings that ask people to stay home as much as possible. Areas with many active cases of the virus have even gone so far as to place cities on lockdown. Some seniors may still think the health warnings aren’t serious enough to keep them at home. Talk to your parent about the reasons he or she needs to stay home, and find solutions for his or her needs so he or she doesn’t feel tempted to go out.

Help Your Loved One Age in Place

Some of the hardest-hit areas have been assisted living facilities where the virus quickly spread through the population. Although the caregivers in these types of facilities do their best to maintain good hygiene, it’s far more challenging to practice effective social distancing in a group environment. Fortunately, in-home care is an option that can limit the people your loved one interacts with each day while still getting help with the essential activities of daily living. When considering at-home care, families should make sure their senior loved ones have the resources they need to maintain their independence and remain healthy. Trusted in-home care professionals can assist seniors with daily tasks like cooking, bathing, and exercise, and they can also encourage them to focus on healthier lifestyle habits.

Keep Your Loved One’s Immune System Strong

A strong immune system is the best way to fight the virus, and your loved one needs to be careful about doing what he or she can to build his or her immunity. Encourage your loved one to eat well, stay hydrated, and get proper rest. This way, your parent will be in the best position possible to survive the illness if he or she does somehow catch it. A home caregiver can help your loved one prepare nutritious meals, exercise safely, and make sure to drink plenty of water. One of the most challenging tasks of helping an elderly relative age in place safely and comfortably is researching agencies that provide home care. Winnipeg families can turn to Home Care Assistance for reliable, high-quality in-home care for aging adults. We offer 24-hour live-in care for seniors who require extensive assistance, and we also offer respite care for family caregivers who need a break from their caregiving duties.

Practice Good Hygiene

Proper handwashing is more important than ever. You may also need to be more stringent about helping your parent remember not to touch his or her face and remove your shoes and change clothes after you go out in public just to make absolutely sure you don’t inadvertently bring germs into your parent’s home.

Provide Safe Socialization Options

If your loved one lives alone, you can’t let him or her become isolated. A senior who begins to get lonely may make rash decisions, such as going out in public just to get some socialization. Offer to help your loved one get set up to make video phone calls, and remind him or her that a caregiver or family member will stop by to visit regularly. For families living in Winnipeg, respite care can be a wonderful solution when their aging loved ones need companionship and socialization a few hours a week or just need minor assistance with daily household tasks. At Home Care Assistance, we thrive on helping seniors maintain their independence while living in the comfort of home. If your loved one needs help with the challenges of aging, call one of our compassionate Care Managers today at (204) 489-6000. With information surrounding coronavirus/COVID-19 changing by the hour, it’s challenging to stay updated on the most recent best practices for keeping seniors safe at home. At Home Care Assistance, we understand how critical it is for seniors and their caregivers to protect against coronavirus as much as possible. All our team members have received detailed communication on infection control protocols, including effective cleaning and disinfecting of surfaces and hands. Our caregivers can pick up medications, groceries, and anything else a senior needs, minimizing their interaction with large groups of people. For more information on how Home Care Assistance helps protect clients, click here: https://www.homecareassistancewinnipeg.ca/covid-19-home-care/.