You may be caring for aging parents and find this job role challenging when times are good, but during this era of Covid-19, many hospice‌ ‌care‌ ‌professionals like those in Burbank,‌ ‌Ca,‌ ‌are experiencing the added element of overwhelm and stress that the pandemic has added to an already difficult situation. 

Sadly, hospice‌ ‌carers in‌ ‌Burbank,‌ ‌Ca,‌ ‌has to point out that older adults are especially vulnerable to the virus and more likely to develop COVID-19 if infected, so it is imperative to keep your relatives safe from diseases during this pandemic. 

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Bringing Your Loved One Home During The Coronavirus Pandemic

Professionals at hospice‌ ‌care‌ centers in ‌Los‌ ‌Angeles‌ can think of many reasons why individuals think about moving their older relatives into their homes during the coronavirus pandemic. Due to the extensive outbreaks happening in nursing homes and assisted living facilities, many families have decided to bring their loved ones home until the pandemic is over. Some families have relatives in hospitals who want to move their seniors into a home setting rather than depending on a long-term care facility.

Hospice‌ ‌care‌ staff, like those in Burbank‌, ‌Ca,‌ ‌have noticed that many adult children have either been furloughed or out of work due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, they find themselves with time available to provide care for a loved one. 

Also, taking an elderly relative into your home may provide extra opportunities for family bonding between generations, particularly when younger children are also in the home all day because of school and daycare closures. Seniors who stay in long-term care facilities could face months-long isolation without any contact with their loved ones. 

A detriment of having an aging parent at home might be the time obligation involved with caring for an elderly relative. Some adult children who are trying to work from home and carry out childcare or homeschooling tasks during the crisis may begin to feel overwhelmed if they also bring an aging parent into the home. That is why ‌‌hospice‌ ‌care‌ ‌professionals in Burbank‌, ‌Ca,‌ believe it is important to involve an organization that provides hospice or palliative care to help ease the strain and burden. 

How To Make The Transition Into Home Care

If you have decided to move a senior relative from a care facility or hospital into your home, there are some factors you have to keep in mind. Established who will be caring for the elderly relative in your household and if you require extra help in specific areas of geriatric home care. Caregiving services can offer assistance with daily living tasks, such as dressing, medication management, and personal grooming. Also, you can employ home health professionals to aid you with the transition between assisted living and home care. 

Get in touch with the hospital or facility about a discharge plan before moving your elderly relative into your home. Make sure you understand which medications your elderly parent is taking and what follow-up tests or appointments are needed. If rehabilitation services such as physical therapy or speech therapy are required, find out where and when those will take place. Make sure to arrange any home health care services you need before your relative moves into your home. 

Don’t be surprised if you may need to modify your home to accommodate a senior relative with mobility problems. Some fast modifications are easy to set up yourself, such as installing safety bars in the bathroom and setting up temporary ramps to assist wheelchair users in getting around using the porch steps. 

Besides the safety and health concerns, there are practical matters when moving an elderly relative into your home during the pandemic. Make sure to transfer any necessary mail or bills that you have to take care of while the senior relative is at your home. Get in contact with your relative’s doctor to make sure all prescriptions are up to date, and designate someone in the household to pick up refills as necessary. Squirrel away about one to three months’ worth of food, medications, and household supplies to reduce the need to go out for supply runs. Speak to doctors and specialists about the possibility of telehealth visits rather than in-person appointments. 

Safety Measures and Geriatric Care During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Since the coronavirus has a long incubation period and poses an unprecedented danger, it is crucial to apply health and safety measures in your home when caring for an elderly loved one. If you are caring for a loved one during this time, the first and most crucial step is to keep yourself healthy to ensure that your senior relative stays well.

Select a specific member of the household to take care of grocery shopping and supply runs. Think about getting groceries delivered to reduce your exposure to people outside your household, and go for contactless delivery when possible. 

Wearing a mask helps to reduce the risk of transmitting the coronavirus to others. Even people who are asymptomatic can transmit the virus, so establish mask usage rules for those who interact with vulnerable family members. 

Make sure to sanitize and clean to help reduce the risk of transmission of the coronavirus and other viral and bacterial illnesses. Frequently clean most used surfaces, and sanitize packages and other items that arrived at your home. If you order take-out meals, remove the food from the containers and put it onto plates before serving. Everyone in the family should get into the habit of frequent handwashing to limit germ exposure. Additionally, make it a point to regularly clean any medical equipment or mobility aids that your senior relative uses, such as wheelchairs, canes, handrails, and walkers. 

If someone in your household has been exposed to the coronavirus, you should isolate that person from the senior(s) in your home. Alternatively;y, you can isolate the elderly members of your household so they avoid contact with that infected family member. To do this, you should set up a room in your home that will be the designated isolation zone just in case it is necessary.