Family Caregivers and the COVID 19 Pandemic

Every family caregiver has a unique set of circumstances, and a very specific set of risk factors that apply to our own situations and to those that we provide care for. The coronavirus has significantly increased risk factors for our elderly, and also implies new concerns for dementia patients who are likely to forget to practice safe behaviors regarding had washing and sterilization.

Available Resources

There are many available online resources. I’ve listed a few at the end of this post, from organizations such as the American Medical Association, Alzheimer’s Association, World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control, and other reliable sources. Additionally, most communities have local resources available. The website for my city, and most others that I’ve checked, show information dedicated to pointing citizens to the information that we most need at a time like this.

Learning the facts is important so we can make informed choices and adopt practices that can make a difference. Even so, keep in mind that information overload can happen fast, focus your research in the areas that are most meaningful both to you and those who you provide care for. Focusing on global news may not be as productive as learning what’s happening in your own community, or what you can do to decrease risk and ensure safe conditions for your loved ones.

What We All Need to Know

The single most important thing to know is that those who we care for rely on us to be well informed and make the best decisions we can both for them and for ourselves. For all of us who are caregivers for an elderly person, or for someone with underlying health conditions that can increase risk factors, it’s critical that we go into this battle armed with accurate and relevant information.

On the day of this post, all COVID immunizations are still in clinical trials, with optimistic projections suggesting 12 to 18 months before a proven vaccine is released. Once proven, it could take months to release a vaccine across the nation – so the takeaway here is that my only recourse for now is reducing risk.

Social Distancing?

The best way to prevent any illness is to avoid exposure. CDC states that this virus is thought to mainly be spread from person to person contact, typically those within 6 feet of each other. And so, the 21st century has evoked another new contemporary term… “social distancing”.

Social distancing is a broad term meant to encompass managing the size and proximity of our social gatherings. Current social distancing protocols call for not more than 10 people in a gathering, and at least six feet (2 meters) between people at all times, with special attention to not touching common surfaces or otherwise facilitating viral contagion.

Protect Yourself

Protecting ourselves comes with the unspoken benefit of protecting those who we care for. Reducing our own risk means reducing the risk to those who we care for. Some of the obvious things here involve lowering our risk to exposure and avoiding possible transmission through cleansing and sanitizing. I have only recently begun paying attention to how long I spend washing my hands. A quick wash and rinse are no longer sufficient – the CDC guidelines suggest 20 seconds as a minimum, I’ve taken the approach of 60 seconds. Taking a full minute out of my day here and there to offer added safety to my mother doesn’t seem like too much to ask. I probably don’t have to tell you that since I didn’t buy any hand sanitizer a month ago, that ship has already sailed. So here I am, doing the best I can with what I have to work with.

Limiting ourselves to public exposure can also make a difference. Before the reality came along that I could easily bring home a virus that could very possibly be fatal to my mother, I didn’t even think about such things. Things have changed and I find myself wondering if me visiting local stores increases risk to her. Caregivers are often required to be shoppers. Luckily, most local stores offer to let us shop and pay online, then they will bring our groceries out to our cars or even deliver them straight to our homes. Of course, Amazon is a household name these days, and while they may be out of the best brands of toilet paper, they can cut down our exposure in many other areas.

Probably the toughest thing for me regarding protecting myself is learning to avoid touching my face. I really have become more aware of how often the urge to touch my face comes up each day. Whether it’s to rub an eye, scratch my nose, or wipe my mouth, the urge to touch my face happens several times each hour, I’ve learned. If we’ve been at home all day, it’s one thing… but when we go to any public location, it’s different – that’s when we need to be careful.

Social distancing has been mandated by my company – no handshakes, no close proximity, no large gatherings… so this helps. I’ve incorporated this into my way of being. When I must go into a store, I distance myself in lines and avoid close contact as much as possible.

Protecting Others

At the top level, protecting others means protecting ourselves. But then there are the ways we can reduce the risk of viral transmission to others. The most important thing to understand here is that this virus can be asymptomatic for up to two weeks. This means that an infected person may not know they are infected, having the possibility of transmitting the virus for two weeks before they show any symptoms.

So, protecting others means being proactive and not making any assumptions that we aren’t contagious. All of your actions should be based on the idea that you might already have the virus. Obviously, there is much we can’t do for those we care for without personal contact, but we can make sure that our hands are clean and even sanitized if possible. We can pay special attention to ensure that we minimize risk.

Face masks are only recommended if you know you are already sick, avoid them otherwise. Face masks can actually increase our risk because we touch our faces much more often when wearing a mask.

Disinfecting household surfaces can be a good proactive approach. If you can’t buy anything at your local stores, CDC recommends mixing 1/4c household bleach into a gallon of water to use as a disinfectant. If you use this approach, ensure you take proper precautionary measures to avoid exposure of the disinfectant to pets, children, or those who may not know its dangers.

In Closing

Be informed. Be proactive. Know your options and take action where it makes sense for you and those you care for. Don’t succumb to information overload, focus only on what is directly relevant to you and who you care for.

References