Your adherence to senior care for respiratory conditions may be more complex this year than it was before. COVID-19 is directly linked to intense coughing, wheezing, breathing difficulties, and chest pains. Worse, they may reach critical conditions if effective senior care and home health protocols aren’t in place. Because of this, you have to ensure you cater to the needs of seniors under your supervision while looking for warning signs concerning the virus. Thus, use this article as your guide.
What Are the Other Symptoms of COVID-19 Apart from Respiratory Issues?
Since you care for patients with respiratory complications, you may confuse the symptoms for COVID-19, especially if they already have asthma, emphysema, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The good news is if you know the other signs to watch out for, you can better distinguish different medical problems from one another. As such, refer to the following additional symptoms recognized by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention:
- Fever or chills
- Diarrhea
- Nausea or vomiting
- Sore throat
- Headache
- Loss of taste and smell
- Fatigue
- Congestion or runny nose
How Can I Best Tend for My Seniors with Respiratory Conditions during the COVID-19 Pandemic?
Ensure social distancing and good hand hygiene practices are followed at all times.
You may resort to home health as your primary means to care for your seniors because medical professionals recommend staying away from hospitals. It is because they may get exposed to COVID-19 patients easily. Thus, your best course of action is to have a designated room for each elderly, observe the one-meter distance from each other, and have them wash their hands thoroughly.
Prioritize access to clean air for the seniors.
You may have already heard that many medical professionals recommend that people rely on open-air spaces to prevent the virus from spreading. The problem is you may not be capable of providing this for your seniors since outdoor air is filled with pollutants, like smoke, dust, and pollen. They can cause breathing problems, forcing them to be rushed to intensive care. Thus, your best line of defense would be to have a proper heating and cooling system with High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters installed. They should also be cleaned and inspected regularly, and you must also change the HEPA filters when necessary. If additional air is needed, you can also opt for oxygen tanks.
Encourage daily stretching and proper rest.
Your seniors must have some form of physical exercise to help strengthen their lungs, heart, and muscles. They also need to sleep properly to ensure they can stay strong and healthy to fight their pre-existing medical issues and boost their immunity against COVID-19. Therefore, you should track their adherence to these good habits.
Stick to the appropriate meal plan
Eating may be more challenging for seniors with respiratory conditions because it affects the diaphragm, affecting air passage. That’s why consuming smaller, more frequent meals is recommended. Additionally, it would help if you prevented them from consuming gas-inducing and bloating food. Consult with a geriatric specialist for more information.
Conclusion
Seniors with respiratory conditions may be at more risk due to the repercussions of COVID-19, but you can find ways around this. Just ensure you adhere to all the information mentioned above and bolster your home health facilities to prevent virus spread. Meanwhile, if you feel you may need extra help with these changes, consider seeking assistance from experts like our team.
Are you in need of professional elderly care in California to help treat your seniors’ respiratory conditions and other medical complications? We at Bridge Home Health & Hospice can provide you with that. We are your dedicated team of licensed clinical support specialists, enabling you to be assured of dependable optimal patient outcomes. Contact us today!
