Coronavirus can produce symptoms that range from mild to potentially life-threatening. According to the CDC and other leading health sources, the latter is more likely to be the case for older adults considered at risk. As for what “at risk” means, this generally includes seniors with chronic illnesses, underlying health issues, or compromised immune systems. Here are five specific things at-risk seniors should know about coronavirus.
1. Healthy Lifestyle Habits Can Help
Seniors are considered to be especially susceptible to coronavirus because the immune system is naturally affected by age-related changes. Even if underlying health issues aren’t a major concern, special cells (T lymphocytes, or T-cells) that fight new immune system invaders naturally become less effective with age. For this reason, seniors can benefit from healthy lifestyle habits that are good for an aging immune system. Some of these include:
• Eating more fruits, veggies, spices, and other nutrient-rich foods
• Getting at least 7–8 hours of uninterrupted sleep per night
• Finding ways to stay active and exercise
• Not smoking or excessively drinking alcohol
If your loved one needs help following healthy habits that can boost his or her immune system, a home caregiver can be a wonderful source of support. Not every senior has the same care needs, which means they don’t all need the same type of elderly home care. Roseville families can rely on Home Care Assistance to provide individualized care plans to meet your elderly loved one’s unique care needs. Our holistic Balanced Care Method was designed to help seniors focus on healthy lifestyle habits such as eating nutritious foods, exercising regularly, and maintaining strong social ties, and our Cognitive Therapeutics Method offers mentally stimulating activities that can stave off cognitive decline and delay the onset of dementia.
2. Many Products/Services Are Still Safely Accessible
In areas where coronavirus is especially prevalent, seniors are discouraged from going out, even to businesses permitted to remain open, such as grocery stores and banks. Fortunately, there are ways older at-risk adults can still get what they need while also limiting in-person contact as much as possible, including:
• Home meals/grocery delivery
• Online banking and financial services
• Prescription deliveries
To keep your loved one from having to go out, a home caregiver can run errands for him or her, including shopping for groceries and picking up prescriptions. If your aging loved one needs help managing everyday tasks or encouragement to adopt healthier lifestyle choices, turn to Home Care Assistance, a leading provider of in-home care. Home Care Assistance provides professional in-home caregivers around the clock to help seniors live longer, happier, and healthier lives.
3. Interacting on Social Media Can Be Mentally Refreshing
At-risk seniors shouldn’t confuse social distancing with social isolation. Just because there are fewer opportunities to interact in person doesn’t mean seniors can’t still stay connected with family members and friends. An ideal solution is to use social media. Platforms that are especially senior-friendly include Facebook, Senior.com, and My Boomer Place. Using social media is also a good way to relieve stress and maintain optimal mental health.
4. Daily Life Can Still Be Enjoyable
News about coronavirus is certainly concerning. However, seniors have to guard against being overly anxious or stressed, since this isn’t healthy. As long as reasonable precautions are taken, older adults can still do things that bring them happiness and joy throughout the day. Reading, drawing, exploring home-based hobbies, playing games or working puzzles to boost memory skills, doing at-home routines involving yoga or meditation, and enjoying favorite TV shows or movies are just some of the many possibilities.
5. In-Home Care Can Ease Guilt & Relieve Family Caregivers
Most seniors don’t like to see their family caregivers stretching themselves too thin. This is more likely to be a concern if family caregivers now have younger children at home or suddenly experience other disruptions to their normal routines. One way to still get the type of care that’s needed while giving family caregivers a break is with in-home care. It’s a highly flexible service that’s safely provided in an older adult’s own home. In-home care also minimizes unnecessary in-person contact, which may be more prevalent in an environment such as an assisted living facility.
Families who find it difficult to care for their aging loved ones without assistance can benefit greatly from professional respite care. Roseville, CA, family caregivers who need a break from their caregiving duties can turn to Home Care Assistance. Using our proprietary Balanced Care Method, our respite caregivers can encourage your loved one to eat well, exercise regularly, get plenty of mental and social stimulation, and focus on other lifestyle factors that promote longevity. To schedule a free in-home consultation, give us a call at (916) 226-3737 today.
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.homecareassistanceroseville.com/covid-19-home-care/.