While nursing homes have put in place measures to protect their residents from the risks of the spread of the coronavirus, elderly people living at home are no less threatened by COVID-19. How to protect yourself from the coronavirus without isolating yourself or giving in to panic!
Why are the elderly living at home also affected by the coronavirus?
The coronavirus has already affected more than a hundred people aged 75 and over the world. Several residents of retirement homes have tested positive, but among the confirmed patients, many elderly people reside at home and have been infected by a sick person from their more or less close entourage.
Among the thousand people infected with the coronavirus 15% are 75 years old and over and 14% are aged 65 to 74 years (107 people, March 7), according to an epidemiological report published.
This shows how much the elderly at home are also affected by the coronavirus. They are in fact in contact with their relatives, health professionals and home helpers, as well as their senior club friends and all the people they meet on their outings.
How to protect yourself from the coronavirus at old age?
While nursing homes have strict barrier measures in place to prevent a coronavirus outbreak within their walls, staying at home can make prevention more difficult.
It is up to the elderly and their loved ones to be careful and to adopt some precautions!
People with existing pathologies are more likely to die if they are infected with the coronavirus, as shown by the first large Chinese study on infected people. Cardiovascular disease is the number one risk factor for an elderly person. The other pathologies constituting risk factors for the coronavirus are: COPD, hypertension, diabetes and cancer. If you suffer from one of these pathologies, it is recommended to avoid places with too many people.
Activities for seniors in associations and clubs are an excellent way to stay active at old age and to fight against isolation. Nevertheless, activities and workshops welcoming several people for a period of time of more than fifteen minutes can ultimately be a site of contamination. Be proactive: ask the day reception staff, the association or the CCAS if they are aware of cases of coronavirus in the entourage of people attending the activity. Find out well and decide whether you want to participate in the activity in question or choose another one in a less exposed location.
Hospitals and doctor’s offices aren’t necessarily the places you want to go too often these days. This is not, of course, to postpone an important appointment with the doctor. However, the elderly with several pathologies consult several specialists during the year. For these consultations, you often have to go to a hospital or doctor’s office, which may have been attended by a sick person with COVID-19. Consider postponing elective medical consultations, such as your annual ophthalmologist visit or dental scaling. Today, telemedicine can offer a great solution for older people who want to avoid doctor’s offices.
Flu and pneumonia vaccines are important for people 65 years of age and older. They protect against the most common infectious pathologies in the elderly. There is no vaccine against COVID-19 yet, but it is recommended to protect yourself from other diseases that can make you more fragile.
As with the seasonal flu, some simple hygiene measures can reduce the risk of contamination in the elderly:
- Wash your hands with soap under running water for at least 20 seconds, especially after using the toilet, before eating and after sneezing or coughing and after blowing your nose.
- Outdoors, when washing your hands, if you don’t have soap or a paper towel to wipe your hands, use antibacterial wipes or hydroalcoholic gel
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth before washing your hands
- Stay home if you are not feeling well
- Cough into the crook of your arm or into a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash
As much as possible, avoid shaking hands and kissing people who may be infected. In ignorance, refrain.
While this is not about giving in to panic, it is best for older people to be careful until the situation calms down. In addition, beware of scams and “fake-news”: if you are offered by email an alleged vaccine against the coronavirus and miracle drugs, you are the target of crooks wishing to take advantage of the situation and the worry. people. Consult your doctor or follow the news to find out when such treatments have been developed. For more details see Corona-teller.nl Kaart Nederland.
