COVID-19 is called a “novel” coronavirus because it is a relatively new germ. We don’t know a lot about it, so things change quickly. And it’s unfolding in different ways and at different rates across the country. That’s why it’s important to stay in touch concerning local policies and resources. Here are materials we have created for you, or gathered from credible sources, to guide you in providing optimal physical and emotional support to your older loved one. Ifyou would like specific guidance regarding your loved one’s unique situation, give us a call at [Your Phone] to schedule a planning session.
These forms are helpful for creating a packet that gives health care providers an immediate snapshot of your loved one’s unique health picture. Fill out and assemble the forms with information pertinent to the person you care for. If you do need to go to the hospital or work with other care providers, having this up-to-date information at the ready will make it more likely they can deliver the thorough care your loved one needs.
Current medication list
List of doctors
Medical history
Locate the advance directive
Locate the POLST (Physician Order for Life Sustaining Treatment) if one has been completed with the doctor.
Those who have done some planning and made arrangements ahead of time fare far better should the worst happen, than those who have not. Not only is an ounce of prevention worth a very big pound of cure, but in the distress of bad news, should it happen, it’s nice to have all the supplies you need at the ready and a plan for what you will do. Clear thinking is not at its strongest when we’re dealing with something as scary as an active case of COVID-19.
Here are strategies to help you ahead of time:
Current mask guidelines – The virus changes over time, which means we need to adapt. Stay up-to-date on the latest guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) regarding the most effective mask strategies.
Connecting with doctors. Ask how to handle up-coming appointments, especially those for monitoring or treating chronic conditions. Ask about signs that a problem is developing and what you should do. Find out about telehealth options.
Stocking up. Shortages may occur, and even online delivery services are having later than usual shipping dates. Help your loved one stock up on the following:
Medications. The recommendation is to have a 90-day supply. Doctors and pharmacies are making it very easy to get 90 day’s worth. They understand the value of stocking up.
Groceries. Try to have several weeks’ supply on hand.
Medical supplies (hearing aid batteries, ostomy supplies, oxygen, etc.) Confirm any changed delivery patterns due to the pandemic.
Planning steps for patients and families – Prepare to Care in conjunction with the National Patient Advocate Foundation. Emphasis is on those who live in a single family home or apartment. Includes planning for medications, money and bills, pets, choosing a medical decision-maker, and what to bring to the hospital if things get serious.
Checklist for Older Adults – CDC. Emphasis is on those who live in long-term care facilities (retirement communities, assisted living, continuing care retirement communities…). Includes getting ready in case you get COVID, if there is an outbreak in your community, advice for administrators and staff (useful for families to know what questions to ask), and advice for families of residents.
What if you, the primary caregiver, gets sick? Clearly you must take care of yourself (see the 10 steps for managing at home), but you also need to have a plan in place for others to step in for a few weeks and manage the things you currently do for your loved one. An Aging Life Care Manager can help with this. Give us a call at [Your Phone].
Start by making a list of all the things you do and who might be able to take over in your stead:
Fill pill boxes and order prescription refills
Grocery shopping and other errands
Monitor and order medical supplies
Monitor and help to manage symptoms of chronic conditions (daily blood pressure and weight check, insulin testing for diabetics). Knowing when to call the doctor
Pay bills and manage money
Provide transportation to the doctor
Work with the doctors and special therapists (physical therapy, speech therapy), home health or hospice nurses.
Coordinate with outside services (home care, oxygen, meals on wheels, gardeners)
Help with cooking and cleaning
Assist with bathing, grooming, dressing, eating, toileting.
Write instructions for things that are especially complicated. Concentrate only on those things that truly need to be done a particular way (e.g., a medical procedure, making a telehealth appointment). This is an extraordinary time, so allow leeway for things to be done differently from the way you might prefer. If there is not a long-lasting consequence to a deviation in method, that’s okay. The important part is that the task is accomplished rather than forgotten.
Pick someone to coordinate all the helpers. It’s a job to orchestrate all the helpers and be sure everyone is coming through with their parts. Who would be best for this? Give them a call and ask if they can step in. Explain your list and answer questions. (You might also want to pick an alternate in case your first choice is also down with the coronavirus.)
Social distancing is an important first strategy to reduce the spreading of the virus. It’s something we can all do to pitch in. Social distancing results in fewer cases of COVID-19. Most importantly, it helps to ease the crush on health care workers and hospitals by avoiding a big spike in cases.
Your loved one has the best chance of getting through this if we can “flatten the curve” so there are enough resources (ventilators, masks, staff) to care thoroughly for any of us who need the help.
Over the months we will likely go through several waves of social distancing and shelter-at-home orders.
On a practical level, these strategies do bring up many questions about the safest ways to go about our daily lives. Below are suggestions for common situations:
Running errands – CDC infographic. Includes shopping for food and other household essentials, accepting deliveries and takeout orders, banking, getting gasoline, going to the doctor and getting medicine.
Pets – So far there is no evidence of pets transferring the virus from one human to another, or even one animal to another. And while an extremely limited number of cats and dogs appear to have tested positive for COVID-19, the form of the virus they can get does not seem to be as deadly. Nevertheless, the Centers for Disease Control and the American Veterinary Medicine Association both recommend that you treat a pet like a member of the family.
If there is a sick person in the household, have someone else care for the pet.
Part of preparing is to have 30-days’ worth of food and supplies on hand.
Last, just to be safe and protect the pet, keep it out of the sick person’s room (sadly, no snuggling).
10 minute at home exercise videos – AARP. Exercising just got easier! Follow along with any of these short workouts. No gym required!
Stretch and tone
Total body workout
Chair yoga
Lower body strength training
Stretch and energize
Cardio Sculpt
Pilates workout
Core strength
Arms and Abs
Upper body workout
Energizing yoga
Body toning circuit
Indoor walking workout
Activities. Boredom and a lack of purpose commonly lead to depression. Below are just a few ideas to help you prompt your loved one to stay mentally active and engaged:
Check the local Senior Center for virtual classes. Many are responding with Zoom versions of their balance and chair yoga classes, book clubs and other “gatherings.”
Pen Pal Programs: Writing to others is a great way to get outside your own situation, and to learn more about what’s happening, even around the world. Look for a pen pal program that protects privacy and has policies in place to keep the dynamics family-friendly. For examples, check out PenPal World (email only) and Global Pen Friends (snail mail and email). Or see if the local school has set up a pen pal program to help seniors connect with students who are also having to shelter-in-place.
Free online games: From crosswords and scambles, to mahjong and solitaire, AARP offers free online games. Even some “arcade” games. No membership is required. Those who are paid AARP members also have access to the organization’s “Staying Sharp” brain games that focus on memory, decision-making and strengthening cognitive abilities.
Tour World Class Destinations: Many of the world’s most visited sites are making virtual tours available for free. From hosted tours to live cams, your loved one can travel even while sheltering at home. Check out this sampling of the many options available.
NASA live programming. Monday – Friday programming on science and technology with views from space and interviews with scientists and astronauts.
Write a life review: Use the online tools at Story Corps with prompting questions and the ability to upload photos. All stories are saved in the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC. Consider trying their new “Story Connect” program that allows a family member to conduct the interview in real time and create and store a 40 minute recording.
Free social calls: Sponsored by Covia, a non-profit, public benefit organization, volunteers are vetted and background checked and then given training to conduct free one-on-one phone calls to engage isolated seniors.
Free telephone classes: Free telephone classes sponsored by Covia, a non-profit, public benefit organization. Registered participants call in via a toll-free number at a set time each week, with some groups also offering the option to connect via computer, tablet, or mobile device. Most groups last 30 minutes to an hour and involve 12 participants. Classes cover a wide range of topics from art to zoology, music or meditation.
Learn from the masters – Listen to Frank Gehry speak about architecture and design, gain chess insights from Gary Kasperov, learn about story-telling and humor from David Sadaris, or the art and soul of guitar from Carlos Santana. Over 80 masters of their craft are featured on the Master Class subscription (annual fee to gain access).
Tips for the Sandwich Generation of family caregivers – National Alliance for Caregiving. Are you caring for aging parents while you still have kids at home? Welcome to the Sandwich Generation! This handout includes information on staying informed; talking with your kids; organizing your “care squad”; making contingency plans; talking to your boss.
Stress and Coping
Outbreaks can be stressful! – CDC. Includes ways to cope with stress, common emotional reactions; feelings when you have been quarantined with COVID;
Emotional health – CDC. Includes taking care of your body; connecting with others; taking breaks to unwind; staying informed; avoiding too much exposure to the news; seeking help when needed.
Coping with Cabin Fever – Healthwise. 10 tips to keep yourself in emotional balance and still stay safe.
Don’t forget to take care of yourself! – Family Caregiver Alliance. Includes strategies for reducing personal stress; setting goals; seeking solutions; communicating constructively; asking for and accepting help; talking to the physician; starting to exercise; learning from emotions.
Relaxation tools – Family Caregiver Alliance. Includes breathing exercises; guided imagery; muscle relaxation; mindfulness strategies.
Perhaps your loved one has already prepared an advance directive and named a medical decision-maker. Great! Of course we all hope none of that will be necessary, but just in case, find the document and review it. There may be things that need updating: contact information for decision-makers, or perhaps a change in who is making decisions.
Have your loved one talk with the medical decision-maker about desires should things get serious. (We have some discussion tips and information below that is specifically related to COVID-19). These are sensitive topics. As Aging Life Care Managers, we can help facilitate this conversation.
And if the person you care for has not yet completed an advanced directive and named a decision-maker, now is an excellent time to get all of that in place. Let us help. Give us a call at [Your Phone].
For those who want to stay on top of the latest data and breaking developments—or even contribute to scientific understanding of the pandemic—here are important credible resources:
Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center – Includes data about tests conducted; confirmed cases; and total deaths. All are displayed on a world map by country, a U.S. map by county (updated daily), as well as tracking of trending data displayed by animated maps.
Center for Disease Control – Includes number of U.S. cases confirmed; mortality rates; hospitalization rates and outcomes; and hospital capacity data. Check out the County Tracker to learn the current level of transmission in your area.
Stanford University Family Caregiver Study – Share your experience of caring for a loved one during the pandemic. The person you care for does not need to have COVID. This anonymous questionnaire is designed simply to help understand the issues family caregivers face in these unusual times. Your answers may contribute to the development of helpful programs.
In terms of risks, it is the unvaccinated who are getting infected and are ending up in the hospital, and even dying. (Those few vaccinated individuals who do get COVID do not often come down with an infection serious enough to warrant hospitalization.) The recommended federal safety precautions for the unvaccinated remain as they have been—masks, social distancing, vaccination, hand hygiene, avoiding crowds, and seeking well-ventilated venues.
As of October 20, 2021—last updated by the CDC August 13, 2021—the CDC specifically recommends that if you are unvaccinated you should:
1. Wear a mask
If you are not fully vaccinated and aged 2 or older, you should wear a mask in indoor public places.
In general, you do not need to wear a mask in outdoor settings.
In areas with high numbers of COVID-19 cases, consider wearing a mask in crowded outdoor settings and for activities with close contact with others who are not fully vaccinated.
If you are fully vaccinated, to maximize protection from the Delta variant and prevent possibly spreading it to others, wear a mask indoors in public if you are in an area of substantial or high transmission.
Wearing a mask over your nose and mouth is required on planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation traveling into, within, or out of the United States and while indoors at U.S. transportation hubs such as airports and stations. Travelers are not required to wear a mask in outdoor areas of a conveyance (like on open deck areas of a ferry or the uncovered top deck of a bus).
2. Stay 6 feet away from others
Inside your home: Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
If possible, maintain 6 feet between the person who is sick and other household members.
Outside your home: Put 6 feet of distance between yourself and people who don’t live in your household.
Remember that some people without symptoms may be able to spread virus.
Once you are fully vaccinated, you may be able to start doing some things that you had stopped doing because of the pandemic.
4. Avoid crowds and poorly ventilated spaces
Being in crowds like in restaurants, bars, fitness centers, or movie theaters puts you at higher risk for COVID-19.
Avoid indoor spaces that do not offer fresh air from the outdoors as much as possible.
If indoors, bring in fresh air by opening windows and doors, if possible.
5. Wash your hands often
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
It’s especially important to wash:
Before eating or preparing food
Before touching your face
After using the restroom
After leaving a public place
After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
After handling your mask
After changing a diaper
After caring for someone sick
After touching animals or pets
If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry.
Avoid touchingyour eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
6. Cover coughs and sneezes
If you are wearing a mask: You can cough or sneeze into your mask. Put on a new, clean mask as soon as possible and wash your hands.
If you are not wearing a mask:
Always cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, or use the inside of your elbow and do not spit.
Throw used tissues in the trash.
Immediately wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, clean your hands with a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
7. Clean and disinfect
Clean high touch surfaces daily. This includes tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, and sinks.
Who is at risk of a serious bout with COVID?
By far and away it is the unvaccinated who are being hospitalized, and dying, of COVID. Getting vaccinated is the best insurance against the virus. This is especially true of those who are high-risk. According to the CDC, high-risk conditions include the following:
Advanced age (65 years or older)
Smoking
Obesity
Diabetes
Heart, lung, and kidney conditions
Cancer
A compromised immune system due to an organ transplant, medications, or autoimmune disease
How to know if those around you are vaccinated
There is no verification system, so if you are in a public place and worried—for yourself or a loved one—you can’t assume that lack of a mask means a person is vaccinated. Weigh the risks as you have been these past months and make individual decisions based on the doctor’s recommendations and your own assessment of what feels safe, or safe enough.
Local rules prevail
Keep abreast of local infection rates and the recommendations of local health departments. Decisions by state and county health departments will be more attune to the severity of the pandemic where your loved one lives.
Be aware also that individual businesses may choose to be more cautious. For the safety of everyone—their employees and customers—local businesses have the right to require everyone wear a mask in their setting, vaccinated or not.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as of October 15, 2021, if you’ve been fully vaccinated*:
You can resume activities that you did prior to the pandemic.
To reduce the risk of being infected with the Delta variant and possibly spreading it to others, wear a mask indoors in public if you are in an area of substantial or high transmission.
You might choose to wear a mask regardless of the level of transmission if
wearing a mask over your nose and mouth is required on planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation and while indoors at transportation hubs such as airports and stations. Travelers are not required to wear a mask in outdoor areas of a conveyance (like on open deck areas of a ferry or the uncovered top deck of a bus).
you do not need to get tested before or after travel or self-quarantine after travel.
If you’ve had close contact with someone who has COVID-19, you should get tested 5-7 days after your exposure, even if you don’t have symptoms. You should also wear a mask indoors in public for 14 days following exposure or until your test result is negative.
You should still watch out for symptoms of COVID-19, especially if you’ve been around someone who is sick. If you have symptoms of COVID-19, you should get tested and stay home and away from others.
If your test result is positive, isolate at home for 10 days.
For those with compromised immune systems
People who have a condition or are taking medications that weaken the immune system, should continue to take all precautions recommended for unvaccinated people until advised otherwise by their healthcare provider.
Local laws, rules, and regulations can be more strict if there is a hot spot in your area. Check with your local health department for guidance. Plus, individual businesses have the right to maintain mask mandates to protect employees or customers who may not be vaccinated.
* “Fully vaccinated” means two weeks past the final shot (shot No. 2 of Moderna or Pfizer, or shot No. 1 of Johnson & Johnson).
