How to Protect Older People From the Coronavirus - New York Times article
How to Protect Older People From the Coronavirus
People over 60, and especially over 80, are particularly vulnerable to severe or fatal infection. Here are some steps to reduce their risk.
Familiarize yourself with guidelines and follow them.
Geriatricians recommend their patients adhere to current recommendations from the
C.D.C. and W.H.O., a litany of advice that has become all too familiar: Wash your hands frequently with soap and warm water for 20 seconds (the time it takes to sing “Happy Birthday” twice) or clean them with alcohol-based hand gel; avoid handshakes; stay away from large gatherings; clean and disinfect objects that are touched frequently; and avoid public transportation and crowds. Stock up on supplies.
Cruises are out, as is nonessential travel. Visits with grandchildren are ill-advised.[ BBM]
What about nonessential doctor’s appointments?
Some experts are recommending that older adults at risk cancel nonessential doctor’s appointments, including wellness visits. Telemedicine sessions, if available, are often a reasonable substitute.
Dr. Eckstrom generally agrees, but with caveats. While it might be prudent to cancel wellness and other visits that are not urgent, she said, “many older adults have issues that require regular follow up, such as dementia, Parkinson’s disease, falls, heart problems.” She worries that skipping visits might allow these conditions to spiral out of control, but agrees that telemedicine can usually bridge the gap.
Another helpful step: talking to your doctor about stockpiling two or three months of any critical prescription medicines.
Beware of social isolation.
Experts warn that social distancing, the cornerstone of epidemic control, could lead to social isolation, already a problem in the older population. According to a
recent Pew Research Center study of more than 130 countries and territories, 16 percent of people 60 and older live alone. Loneliness,
researchers have found, comes with its own set of health hazards.
Dr. Winetsky is aware of the danger, and has suggested to his parents that they switch to virtual meetings with friends and relatives, with the benefits of social engagement in mind. “I’ve tried to frame it as, ‘Don’t cancel these things, but change to Zoom or Skype or FaceTime,’” he said.
Have a talk with home health aides.
The National Association for Home Care & Hospice estimates that 12 million “vulnerable persons of all ages” in the U.S. receive care in their homes, delivered by a home care work force of approximately 2.2 million people. For many older adults, that means a steady parade of home health aides trooping through the door, some more mindful of hygiene than others.
People should have conversations with their caregivers about hygiene, suggested Dr. David Nace, president-elect of the Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine, a professional group that represents practitioners working in long-term care facilities.
The nursing home conundrum.
Some 1.7 million people, mostly older, are in nursing homes in the U.S., a fraction of the 50 million Americans over age 65.
Given the rash of deaths at
a nursing home in Kirkland, Wash., hit hard by the virus, nursing homes are on high alert. Many have gone into full lockdown mode.
The federal government is telling nursing homes to bar all visitors, making exceptions only “for compassionate care, such as end of life situations.”
Stay active, even in a pandemic.
Geriatricians fear that social distancing may affect routines in ways that can compromise the vitality of older adults. They emphasize the importance of maintaining good habits, including sufficient sleep, healthful eating and exercise.
Exercise may be beneficial in fighting the effects of coronavirus. It can help boost the body’s immune functions, decrease inflammation and have mental and emotional benefits. A patient who relies on daily exercise at the gym but is trying to avoid risky situations might simply go for a walk.
I plan to do an early Spring cleaning to organize my closets and maybe plant a garden (need to check my freeze zone dates). Is there a list of projects people are taking on while spending extra time at home or productive ways you are passing the time?
