During the Coronavirus Crisis: Things to Consider if Someone You Care for is in Long-Term Care

If you are caring for someone who lives in a long-term care facility, you may have questions about their care and well-being during the coronavirus crisis. You’ve probably wondered whether it would be safer to take them out of the nursing home and move them into your home.

We put some of the questions you may be asking to Sharon K. Inouye, MD, MPH, Director, Aging Brain Center, Milton and Shirley F. Levy Family Chair Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

“These are very difficult and individual decisions for each family. There is no right or wrong situation, just a balance of the specific considerations,” says Dr. Inouye. “I had to consider this for my own mother. Ultimately, we were unable to move her out of her facility because our home was not set up for her safety (too many stairs, lack of adapted bathrooms, narrow hallways that would not permit her walker).”

Dr. Inouye noted other hazards at her sister’s home (who lives closest to her mother). Her children who are home from school might pose an exposure risk. Her family also has pets who could create fall risks.

“The facility where my mother lives has outstanding infection control processes and procedures in place, with a highly trained staff. So, with difficulty, we made the decision to keep her in the facility. Five weeks later, after one documented case of COVID-19, my mother remains safe without any additional cases. This turned out to be the right decision for our family, but it was a very difficult one—and obviously, had more cases emerged, it might have shifted the equation for us,” Dr. Inouye said.

Questions to Consider Continue reading

Avoiding COVID-19 Scams

Unfortunately, some people—including criminals—often look for opportunities to take advantage of others during times of national crisis. The current COVID-19 pandemic creates a perfect environment for lawbreakers who may be targeting vulnerable victims. Very often, their targets may be older adults.

Here are some effective defenses to help stop criminals in their tracks. Arm yourself with these smart strategies to protect yourself and your family against scammers.

First Step

Make sure to fact-check all the COVID-19 information you receive. Don’t share any messages about the virus on social media or email—or even in conversation with friends and loved ones—unless you verify the information is from a trusted source. Look to government agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), or the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). If you’re unsure about a news item or piece of information, use a fact-checking website such as www.snopes.com. Continue reading

Advice for Caregivers: Older Adults and COVID-19

The coronavirus (COVID-19) has caused a worldwide pandemic that has changed how we live, as governments worldwide seek to limit the spread of this disease. We are being asked to stay at home, businesses are closed, and there have been shortages of the basic necessities of daily life.

These are stressful times for all of us, and even more so for adults age 65 and older or individuals with multiple chronic conditions, since they are at higher risk for severe complications if they contract COVID-19.

One way to help your older family members, neighbors, or friends to navigate these challenging times is to be sure they are aware of basic advice from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)  that you can share with older adults:

  • The safest thing to do is to stay home. If you must go out for essential errands, stay six feet away from other people. (Six feet equals about two arm lengths.). If you are sick, you must stay home.
  • Also avoid close contact with people who are sick. Keep six feet away from them at all times.
  • Wash your hands often. Wash for at least 20 seconds (sing the Happy Birthday song twice).
  • Clean and disinfect surfaces that you frequently touch.
  • Avoid all cruise travel and non-essential air travel.
  • If you are sick, or have concerns about COVID-19 and an underlying health condition, call your healthcare professional.

Continue reading

Keep Safe from COVID-19 with Careful Home Cleaning and Disinfecting Strategies

With all of the news about the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), you may be worried about how to keep your home safe from the virus.

There is still much we don’t know about how the virus is transmitted, or how long it remains infectious on surfaces or in the air. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers a number of cleaning tips for limiting the virus’s survival in your immediate surroundings.

To clean and disinfect most effectively, you need to use a two-step cleaning process when you’re dealing with a virus like COVID-19.

Clean

Step one is to remove germs, dirt, and impurities from surfaces. Clean in your usual manner, using soap and water on highly touched surfaces. Wear disposable gloves during the cleaning process. Discard the gloves after cleaning. Continue reading

The Facts on Testing for COVID-19

If you have symptoms of COVID-19 and want to get tested, try calling your state or local health department or a healthcare provider. Supplies of tests are increasing, but it may still be difficult to find a place to get tested, depending on where you live.

Symptoms may appear two to 14 days after being exposed to COVID-19. Symptoms include:

  • Fever
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath

Facts about COVID-19 tests

You may be tested using the diagnostic test developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). If you receive a negative result, that means that the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 was not found in your sample. However, if you are in the early stages of infection, the virus may not be detected in your sample. If that is the case, you can still spread the virus to others, even if you do not have symptoms.

If you have symptoms but test negative for COVID-19, it is likely that COVID-19 is not causing your current illness.

The process and locations for testing vary from place to place. Contact your state, local, tribal, or territorial department of health for more information, or reach out to a healthcare professional. (State and local public health departments have received tests from the CDC while healthcare providers are getting tests developed by commercial manufacturers.)

Beware of scam testing

Some companies are marketing fraudulent test kits that claim to test for COVID-19 in the home. At this time, The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not authorized ANY home tests for COVID-19. The FDA is actively and aggressively monitoring for any companies that may be selling products with false COVID-19 diagnostic, prevention, and treatment claims. Continue reading