Even if vaccinated and up-to-date on boosters, your loved one may still develop COVID-19. COVID-19 is a respiratory disease that still affects people around the world. If vaccinated, your loved one’s symptoms can range from mild to severe. But they need to be closely monitored, so that you can see if they are getting worse and need immediate medical treatment.
If your loved one’s symptoms are mild, you can generally help your loved one recover from home. Recovering from home is always the best solution, so long as more intense care isn’t needed. It provides your loved one with a familiar environment and all the comforts of her home. It protects her from viruses exposures during a hospital stay.
Let’s look at what you as his caregiver should expect while taking care of your loved one at home.
- Stay at home and not have contact with others.
Sometimes this can be especially hard if your loved one isn’t feeling too badly. But if she normally has a senior home care team that visits, until her symptoms leave, they must stay away. Her senior home care provider can come back just as soon as she is better. She should also have limited family visitors during this time. As her caregiver, you might need to make an exception for yourself, but make sure you’re not feeling unwell with anything. You don’t want to bring another virus into her home while she’s battling COVID-19. - Wear a high-quality mask when others are around.
If your loved one is alone in a room, she doesn’t need to wear her mask. But if you are visiting, you both should wear a high-quality mask while you are in the same room. Make sure the mask fits well and wear properly to protect both of you. - Improve ventilation at home.
In colder areas of the country, opening windows may be tough, but if you can allow some fresh air in the home. It’ll help reduce the chance of spreading when essential caregivers like yourself need to visit. Once her senior home care provider can visit again, having an open window can continue to keep the environment safe. - Don’t share personal items.
When you visit your loved one, make sure you use your own hand towel after washing your hands. The same can be said with any food or drink. It’s safest to keep everything as separate as possible. - Practice good hygiene.
Keep shared surfaces disinfected (like the remote or fridge door handle) and wash your hands often.
If your loved one’s symptoms increase or get worse at any time, contact the doctor right away for the next steps.