Keeping Our Seniors Safe During Covid-19

It is well-known that seniors are at dangerously high risk for contracting COVID-19 due to their age and/or underlying conditions (heart disease, autoimmune, respiratory, etc). When infected, symptoms can range from a cough, difficulty breathing, fever, chills, or muscle pains. Recent studies have found the virus to spread from “respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks.” To ensure the safety of our seniors, proper measures must be taken and implemented to keep COVID-19 at bay.

Stay At Home

First and foremost, seniors should refrain from leaving their homes to attend religious services, community centers, or other public places. Visitors should practice social-distancing unless that visitor is a nurse or an assigned caregiver. Additionally if another person is present, both the senior as well as the caregiver should protect themselves by wearing gloves and a mask. To keep seniors from getting lonely or missing their visitors, it would be a great idea to encourage daily video calls to their families and loved ones.

Maintain a Healthy Diet

Eating a healthy and balanced diet is especially important for seniors to prevent the onset of COVID-19. An ideal meal plan should contain 40 percent complex carbohydrates (such as sweet potatoes), 30 percent proteins, and 30 percent healthy fats (such as almonds). Do keep in mind that everyone’s nutritional needs are different, someone with Type 2 Diabetes might require a different meal plan than someone not diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. Furthermore, it is also beneficial to have the seniors take Vitamin C or eat foods rich in Vitamin C such as oranges. This will ensure that their immune systems remain strong and their bodies can fight off any potential threats.

Keep Germs at Bay

During the COVID-19 Pandemic, proper hygiene must be maintained to avoid getting sick. Seniors should wash their hands often or use a high-percent alcohol-based hand sanitizer, avoid touching their face, and wear a face mask and gloves when in the presence of their nurse or caregiver. At home surfaces should remain clean and sterile through the use of germ-killing household cleaning products. Additionally, when using face masks or face coverings, it is important to wash them frequently or exchange the used one for a new, clean one. Gloves should be disposed of immediately after usage.

Being Entertained

Despite being quarantined at home, there are still many things that seniors can do to be entertained at home. The well-known bingo game is one of them! With the help of the internet, seniors can now play bingo online with their friends and families. Further, it is always a good idea for them to start a new hobby or become more advanced in a skill they already know, such as knitting. Also, the caregiver would do well to suggest some fun activities for the seniors and participate in them as well. This will make the senior more likely to partake in the new activity as it’s often challenging for some to begin new things.

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Thanksgiving Activities for Seniors

01 Apr, 2022
Finally, Thanksgiving is upon us! A time filled with friends, family, great food, and laughter. However, one thing that makes this holiday different from other American holidays is its emphasis on gratefulness. Thanksgiving is all about appreciating those around us and being grateful for the things we have, aside from its historical significance of course. Whether you are a caregiver, a family member, or a friend, the holidays provide a great opportunity to keep your relationship with a senior strong. Here are a few fun activities for family members and seniors to participate in: Baking This is a great activity for seniors as well as the whole family, especially since food is a staple at Thanksgiving. Some things worth baking during this season are things like pumpkin pie, apple pie, cheesecake, or simple things like chocolate-chip cookies. The children can also join, helping bake the cookies and then decorating them. For healthier baked goods, one can look online or ask the senior for some dessert recipes. What would make the senior happier than baking something from their childhood? Relive Moments Through Scrapbooking If you have a pile of photographs that you’ve been saving, now is the perfect time to bring them out! This is also a great activity for seniors with Alzheimer’s as a photograph and recalling when it was snapped might jog their memory. Decorating the scrapbook with stickers and other items might even invite the kids to join in as well. Later on, the kids will inherit the scrapbooks and be able to look back on the great memories they’ve made. Holiday Decorating Decorating the house for the holidays is another festive activity which seniors can most definitely participate in. Put out some cinnamon-scented pine cones or even some autumn colored trinkets to the space. Go outside and collect some beautiful fall-time leaves which have fallen down. Another great idea is taking the senior to a pumpkin patch and picking out some pumpkins to decorate the front of the house. Shopping Many might overlook this festive activity, however seniors can be brought along to help with the Thanksgiving shopping list. Not only will they be great company, but they might also provide some tips for which items to purchase. Have the senior hold the shopping list and keep track of all the items you buy, this will ensure that nothing is forgotten. After that, have the senior pick a place where they would like to eat and thank them for their help.
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