According to the Government of Canada’s website, the country hasn’t been affected by coronavirus as severely as its southern neighbor. Even so, what’s also called COVID-19 is still something that can be especially risky for the elderly, no matter where they live. If you’re caring for an older loved one, continue reading to discover six ways you can mitigate coronavirus-related risks for him or her.
1. Serve Healthy Meals
The primary reason coronavirus is so dangerous for seniors is because an aging immune system is less capable of handling unfamiliar threats like a new virus. This is a risk that can be mitigated by encouraging your loved one to eat foods that are good for the immune system, some of which include:
• Citrus fruits
• Broccoli, spinach, and other green leafy veggies
• Low-fat yogurt and lean meats like skinless chicken
• Almonds, sunflower seeds, and dark chocolate
• Garlic, ginger, and other cell-protecting spices
If your loved one needs help following healthy habits that 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. Vancouver 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. Encourage Daily Exercise
If your loved one is limited to the home because of social distancing guidelines, he or she can still find safe and comfortable ways to exercise and stay healthy. Exercise can be done easily at home by creating a space in the living room or outside on a patio or deck to stretch, use resistance bands, or do yoga, either alone or with assistance from a family member.
3. Utilize Delivery/Pick-Up Services
Keep your loved one safe by encouraging him or her to take advantage of pick-up and delivery services. For instance, many pharmacies have home delivery options. Some larger grocery stores and retailers also give shoppers the option of choosing and paying for items online and just picking them up, which is something a family member can also do for them.
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 at-home care. Home Care Assistance provides professional in-home caregivers around the clock to help seniors live longer, happier, and healthier lives.
4. Maintain Familiar & Enjoyable Home Routines
One of the hidden risks of coronavirus for the elderly is shakeups in their daily routines, which may be mentally stressful. One way to manage this aspect of coronavirus adjustment is to keep at-home routines as normal and familiar as possible. At the same time, steer your loved one toward fun activities he or she can do at home, like working on arts and crafts projects, playing a musical instrument, or watching favorite TV shows or movies.
5. Try Technology for Social Engagement
The most unpleasant aspect of social distancing is not being able to enjoy in-person contact as much. Remind your loved one that social distancing doesn’t have to mean social isolation if he or she uses technology to stay safely connected and engaged in a way that still reduces in-person contact. Social media, video chat software, email, and text messaging are among the most common ways to accomplish this goal.
6. Hire an In-Home Caregiver
In-home care is worth considering if you need some help providing care because of changes to your own routine due to coronavirus. It’s a safe option, since the care is provided in your loved one’s own home, which—unlike assisted living facilities—limits direct contact with other people as much as possible.
Families who find it difficult to care for their aging loved ones without assistance can benefit greatly from professional respite care. Vancouver, BC, 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. Trust your loved one’s care to the professionals at Home Care Assistance. To create a customized home care plan for your loved one, call (778) 279-3634 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://homecareassistance.com/covid-19.