One of the populations that is most impacted by the COVID-19 crisis is assisted living and nursing home residents. These facilities are largely struggling with how to manage the virus and keep their residents and staff safe. Knowing that your loved one is a resident of a facility where individuals have been exposed to or tested positive for the virus is overwhelming and creates great uncertainty. However, there are a variety of ways you can assess your loved one’s situation. Plan ahead and manage your own stress in order to make the best decision regarding their care:
- Ask the facility’s staff the important questions regarding how they are addressing and managing the spread of COVID-19.
Staying informed is one of the most important steps to managing the uncertainty surrounding your loved one’s care amidst COVID-19. Therefore, you should not hesitate to ask the facility’s staff the questions you want answered. For instance, ask them about their quarantine policies; how they are preventing staff from contracting the virus, or how the facility is staying on top of residents’ needs and care?
- Consider the risks and benefits of continuing your loved one’s care in the facility or having them temporarily leave.
From our experience as a provider of companion care in Bethesda, Maryland, we know that each resident’s and their family’s situation is different. Take time considering what it means for your loved one to continue their stay in a facility; what are the risks? This, perhaps, goes hand-in-hand with having conversations with the facility’s staff.
You might also consider a potential move out of the facility. It is important that you spend a lot of time thinking about how this would impact your loved one and your family. You should also consider if you would truly be able to manage the risks of COVID-19 and keep your loved one healthy and safe while caring for them at home or outside the care facility. You might want to consider the services of our home care in Fairfax, Virginia. This way, you can ensure that all your loved one’s needs are met, even when they’re removed from the care facility.
If you choose to have your loved one leave their care facility, it is important that they are tested for the virus prior to their return home. It may also be a good idea to have them enter into a 14-day quarantine after they leave the care facility. An effective way to do this could be booking an Airbnb and having them stay there, perhaps with another family member or with a certified nursing assistant (CNA) or home health aide hired from a home care agency.
- Stay in touch with your loved one so that they know you are there for them and that you can stay updated on how they are doing.
Even though face-to-face visits to your loved one’s care facility may not be possible right now, it does not mean that you cannot stay in touch. Besides calling them or texting, you can also keep in touch with them through FaceTime, Skype, or Zoom. Schedule times to call your loved one and try to get the entire family together on the call. Ensuring your loved one of their well-being is your top priority. This is bound to keep them happy and stress-free especially at a time when residents may feel increasingly isolated.
- Try to take a step back to relax and remember that you are not alone.
While monitoring your loved one’s care and well-being, it is extremely important for you to do the same. In order for you to be their greatest advocate, you have to take care of yourself. This means taking time out of your day for yourself and talking about your worries with a family member or friend. Most importantly, know that there are so many other families going through the same problems and uncertainty that you are. It is important to remember that although you are facing many concerns surrounding your loved one, there is hope and this crisis will eventually come to an end.
If you need any help in caring for your loved one at home, contact us at Mint Home Care.
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