How to Protect the Elderly from the Flu and COVID-19

With the flu season upon us and the COVID-19 pandemic surging in Massachusetts, it’s imperative to keep seniors safe from harmful viruses. If your senior loved one contracts a respiratory virus, it is crucial to determine as soon as possible if it’s related to the flu or COVID-19 so that he or she receives the proper care. Being prepared and keeping up with the latest information and guidelines can be your best defense this flu season.

How are COVID-19 and the Flu Similar?

COVID-19 and the flu are viral respiratory infections that are transmitted similarly, either through airborne droplets containing the virus or by touching contaminated surfaces. Both present related symptoms, such as:

• Fever
• Chills
• Dry cough
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Nausea

Distinctions Between COVID-19 and the Flu

Although the flu and COVID-19 are respiratory infections, the same viruses do not cause them. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says there are some critical distinctions between the flu and COVID-19 and recommends the following tips to help you tell the difference between the flu and COVID-19:

• Look at the symptoms
  Some symptoms are more prevalent in cases of COVID-19, such as:
  • Sore throat
  • Shaking/chills
  • Breathing difficulties or shortness of breath
  • Runny or stuffy nose.

A dry cough is often more severe with COVID-19 than the flu. A sudden loss of taste or smell is a unique symptom of COVID-19 not found in flu cases. Muscle or body aches can appear in both illnesses, but aches are frequently more severe in the flu.

• Look at the onset of symptoms
  COVID-19 and the flu differ in how quickly symptoms begin. Flu symptoms usually appear very suddenly, while COVID-19 symptoms generally develop over the course of a few days. COVID-19 symptoms are more likely to come and go or suddenly worsen.

• Get tested
  The only way to know for sure if your senior loved one has the flu, COVID-19, or another ailment is through a test conducted by a medical professional. If he or she develops any of these symptoms, call a doctor and request a COVID-19 and an influenza flu test – especially if your loved one is over 65 or has underlying medical conditions such as lung injury, diabetes, or heart disease. Seek medical attention immediately if your senior is exhibiting severe symptoms, including:
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • Persistent chest pain or pressure
  • Difficulty waking
  • Blue coloration of the lips or face

These symptoms can quickly become life-threatening.

Take Steps to Protect Your Senior Loved Ones

Everyone needs to follow public health guidelines to stay safe from COVID-19 and the flu. These guidelines are especially critical for people over the age of 65 because they risk developing serious or even life-threatening complications.

While this flu season is more complicated, you can help keep your loved ones safe by practicing social distancing, washing your hands frequently with soap and water, and wearing a mask.

For extra protection against the flu, call your senior’s physician and ask if a flu shot is recommended or needed. Also, make sure all other vaccines — especially the pneumococcal vaccine — are up to date.

If you need additional assistance, Visiting Angels’ dedicated caregivers are available to monitor and safeguard your loved one’s health and wellness at home during the flu season and the COVID-19 pandemic. They will also alert you immediately if he or she develops any signs or symptoms of illness.

Our Visiting Angels case managers are available to discuss your loved one’s needs during a free home care consultation. Contact us today to receive more information about how in-home care can help your senior loved ones!

Providing Safe, High-Quality Care the Elderly Deserve

Our priority remains the health and safety of its caregivers and the elderly clients they serve every day. As an award-winning home care agency in Greater Boston, Visiting Angels Newton/Canton follows and adheres to the latest health and safety guidelines issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Despite the challenges associated with COVID-19, in-home caregivers fulfill Visiting Angels’ mission of partnering with families to provide essential at home living assistance for older adults.

Visiting Angels’ in-home caregivers continue to be homecare heroes on the frontlines, taking necessary steps to protect elderly loved ones and themselves and doing whatever it takes to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

If you have a loved one who could benefit from elderly care at home, call Visiting Angels Newton/Canton today to schedule a free in-home consultation. A care manager will work with you to choose the best fit for your family member and you.

About Visiting Angels Newton/Canton

Visiting Angels Newton/Canton MA is an award-winning local home care agency providing high caliber in-home care services to the elderly and people with disabilities. Countless families have benefited from our in-home dementia care, Alzheimer’s care, respite care, live-in and 24-hour care, companion care, transitional aid, and in-home care services in Brookline, Canton, Dedham, Natick, Needham, Newton, Norwood, Stoughton, Watertown, Wellesley, Westwood, as well as Boston neighborhoods including Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain, Roslindale, West Roxbury, and Upper Back Bay. The essential personal care provided by Visiting Angels Newton/Canton, can make a significant impact on your loved one’s happiness and quality of life.

Senior Safety Tips for Public Settings During Coronavirus Pandemic

As communities reopen across the country, many seniors are looking forward to going back to the hair salon or barber, the grocery store, a relative’s house, or a favorite local restaurant. At the same time, many family caregivers are trying to determine how to protect their senior loved ones from COVID-19 when they are outside the home.

Here are a few senior safety tips for public settings — and some information on how professional caregivers can assist you in protecting your senior during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Visiting the hair salon or barber

Hair salons and barbershops should follow all public health regulations, including capacity restrictions, staff mask-wearing policies, cleanliness and sanitization practices, and social distancing guidelines. You or your senior should call the establishment in advance of the appointment to ensure the staff is following the required safety protocols.

Your senior should wear a mask at all times when inside the salon and should sanitize or wash his or her hands frequently, especially after touching surfaces such as counters, credit card machines, and door handles. It’s also a good idea for seniors to keep their distance from others and minimize time spent inside by waiting in the car until it is time to start the appointment.

If necessary, an in-home personal caregiver can accompany your senior to their appointment and remind him or her to follow the establishment’s safety rules. Your senior’s caregiver can also make sure your loved one remembers to bring essential items, such as a mask and a small bottle of hand sanitizer. 

 

Shopping at the grocery store or pharmacy

If your senior needs to visit the grocery store or pharmacy, they must wear a mask and sanitize their hands as critical safety steps. Your senior should avoid close contact with other shoppers in store aisles and checkout lines. Be sure to stress the importance of following signs and markings in the store that promote social distancing.

It may also help to make a list of items your senior needs before leaving home to reduce browsing and minimize the amount of time spent in the store. If he or she can avoid going inside the store in the first place, that is better. Consider using the drive-thru pharmacy, grocery pickup, or home delivery services whenever possible.

In addition to meal planning/preparation and providing medication reminders, home health aides can assist with shopping — either by taking your senior to the store or going to the store on his or her behalf.

Visiting a friend or relative’s house

Social interaction has many emotional and mental health benefits, particularly for seniors who were isolated from loved ones during the height of the pandemic. However, resuming social visits to a friend or relative’s house should be carefully considered based on personal risk factors, the community transmission rate, and comfort level.

You might also consider the following:

• Will your loved one be able to social distance?
• Will all participants follow public health guidelines?
• Is the visit indoors or outdoors?
• Will there be any shared food or beverages?
• How many people will be included?

If your senior wants to social distance even though others don’t, support their decision to postpone in-person visits and offer to help them find alternative ways to connect with family or friends. A trained in-home caregiver can also assist in communicating with loved ones while providing companionship to the senior to alleviate boredom and loneliness.

Dining at a restaurant

You can help keep your senior safe by contacting the restaurant in advance to find out what protective measures are implemented and making sure they follow all recommended guidelines.

Close contact with large numbers of people in indoor spaces increases the risk of COVID-19 spread, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This means outdoor dining with plenty of space between tables during off-peak hours would be less risky than dining indoors at a crowded restaurant with little social distancing.

If your senior is craving a meal from a favorite local restaurant, a home care aide could accompany your older loved one and make sure he or she stays safe — or order and pick up take out.

If you’re looking for some help keeping your senior safe as he or she resumes public activities during COVID-19, Visiting Angels caregivers are here for you. Our Visiting Angels case managers are available to discuss your loved one’s needs during a free in-home care consultation.

If you’re interested in more information about how in-home care can help your senior loved one, contact us today.

Safe, High-Quality Care the Elderly Deserve

Visiting Angels’ priority remains the health and safety of its caregivers and the clients they serve every day. As an award-winning home care agency in Greater Boston, Visiting Angels Newton/Canton follows and adheres to the latest health and safety guidelines issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Despite the challenges associated with COVID-19, in-home caregivers fulfill Visiting Angels’ mission of partnering with families to provide essential at home living assistance for older adults.

Visiting Angels’ in-home caregivers continue to be homecare heroes on the frontlines, taking necessary steps to protect elderly loved ones and themselves by doing whatever it takes to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Home Caregivers Provide Essential Services for Seniors During COVID-19 Pandemic

Thousands of senior adults across the nation depend on in-home caregivers to help them manage everyday tasks, such as bathing, dressing, grocery shopping, medication reminders, and preparing meals – especially during the unprecedented crisis of the coronavirus pandemic.
As COVID-19 affects more and more individuals and communities across the U.S., home caregivers remain resolute in delivering safe and compassionate personal care that is essential to the health and well-being of older adults. Their efforts reassure families their elderly loved ones are doing well, emotionally, and physically, in their home.
Whether it’s shielding older adults from the flu or a harmful virus, home care providers practice proper hygiene to reduce health risks for seniors. They exercise frequent handwashing and disinfecting inside a senior’s household to keep contagious illnesses and viruses at bay. They also take special precautionary measures to clean and sanitize frequently touched surfaces such as:

• Doorknobs
• Light switches
• Counters
• Cabinets
• Phones
• Remote controls
• Handles on toilets and faucets

Home Caregivers on the Frontlines in the Fight Against COVID-19

COVID-19 has caused significant public health and safety concerns for the elderly and those with underlying conditions. The virus has changed the way this most vulnerable population socializes, interacts, and communicates with family members, friends, and neighbors. As the nation tries to find answers, many elderly adults rely on HHA or CNA-certified home caregivers for physical and emotional guidance inside the comfort of their homes.

Visiting Angels’ caregivers have stepped up their everyday workload by helping their clients comprehend and practice social distancing. They also plan and discover new ways to reduce distress, boredom, and isolation for seniors during the coronavirus pandemic. Some of the techniques they are employing include:

• Maintaining a routine

COVID-19 has altered the way many people go about their day. Drastic changes to daily routines may upset some seniors, mainly if they are living with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Predictable visits from an in-home caregiver can help seniors feel safe and comforted. Senior home caregivers also help maintain familiar routines as much as possible and ease the process of adapting to sudden necessary changes.

• Helping seniors to communicate with loved ones

Visiting Angels caregivers help seniors find new ways to connect with their loved ones. Whether setting up a new communication or virtual device or encouraging seniors to write letters, caregivers encourage clients to stay in touch with family and friends.

• Helping older adults “stock up”

Visiting Angels’ caregivers also help seniors obtain necessary household supplies by arranging for the delivery of life-sustaining medications, groceries, and other goods.

• Giving serenity to families

Visits from home health aides also provide peace of mind for families who are separated from seniors due to social distancing or because of long-distance caregiving. Through a partnership with Constant Companion, an Amazon Alexa-based system, Visiting Angels offers a useful senior home care tool that responds to voice-activated medical alerts and keeps seniors connected to their families and communities.

• Notifying family members

Visiting Angels keeps an open line of communication with an elderly loved one’s point-of-contact and new communication frequent updates. Caregivers continually check and monitor for signs and symptoms of COVID-19. If caregivers observe any disturbing symptoms, they will immediately alert the case manager as well as family members. In addition to monitoring a senior’s health and wellness, in-home caregivers watch for signs of depression and anxiety while looking out for changes in overall well-being.

Providing Safe, High-Quality Care the Elderly Deserve

Visiting Angels’ priority remains the health and safety of its caregivers and the elderly clients they serve every day. As an award-winning home care agency in Greater Boston, Visiting Angels Newton/Canton follows and adheres to the latest health and safety guidelines issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Despite the challenges associated with COVID-19, in-home caregivers are fulfilling Visiting Angels’ mission of partnering with families to provide essential home care services for older adults.

Visiting Angels’ in-home caregivers continue to be homecare heroes on the frontlines, taking necessary steps to protect elderly loved ones and themselves as well as doing whatever it takes to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

About Visiting Angels Newton/Canton:
Visiting Angels Newton/Canton MA is an award-winning local home care agency providing high caliber in-home care services to the elderly and people with disabilities. Countless families have benefited from our home Alzheimer's care, dementia care, 24 hour care, companion care, senior care, respite care, transitional aid, and home care services in Dedham, Needham, Westwood, Norwood, Brookline, Watertown, Canton, Stoughton, Natick, Wellesley, Newton, Chestnut Hill, Roslindale, and nearby towns. While essential personal in nature, the care provided by Visiting Angels Newton/Canton can make a significant impact on your loved one's happiness and quality of life. Contact us today at 617-795-2727 for a free in-home consultation!