New Delhi: With the Covid situation getting worse every single day, everyone is at risk of major health problems. Thus, it has been advised to follow all Covid related precautions religiously. Especially senior citizens are more prone to these risks. Thus, in the wake of the same, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment alongwith Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Department of Geriatric Medicine, AIIMS Delhi has prepared an advisory to be followed by all senior citizens aged above 60 and their caregivers during these times.
The advisory suggests the dos and don'ts for senior citizens. The Dos include-
- Stay within the house all the time
- Avoid having visitors at home
- If the meeting is essential, maintain a distance of 1 meter
- If living alone, one can consider depending on healthy neighbours for acquiring essentials for home
- Avoid small and large gatherings at all cost
- Remain actively mobile within the house
- Consider doing light exercise and yoga at home
- Maintain hygiene by washing hands. Especially before having meals and after using the washroom. This can be done by washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
- Clean frequently touched objects such as spectacles
- Sneeze and cough into tissue paper/handkerchief. After coughing or sneezing dispose of the tissue paper in a closed bin/wash your handkerchief and hands
- Ensure proper nutrition through home cooked fresh hot meals, hydrate frequently, and take fresh juices to boost immunity
- Take your daily prescribed medicines regularly
- Monitor your health. If you develop fever, cough, and/or breathing difficulty or any other health issue, immediately contact the nearest health care facility and follow the medical advice
- Talk to your family members (not staying with you), relatives, friends via call or video conferencing, take help from family members if needed.
The don’ts are are follows:
- Come in close contact with someone who is displaying symptoms of coronavirus disease (fever/cough/breathing difficulty).
- Shake hands or hug your friends and near ones
- Go to crowded places like parks, markets, and religious places
- Cough or sneeze into your bare hands
- Touch your eyes, face, and nose
- Self-medicate
- Go to hospital for routine checkup or follow up. As far as possible make teleconsultation with your healthcare provider
- Invite family members and friends at home
For the caregivers of senior citizens, following are the dos:
- Wash your hands before helping the older individual
- Cover nose and mouth adequately using a tissue or cloth while attending on the senior citizen
- Clean the surfaces which are frequently used. These include a walking cane, walker, wheel-chair, bedpan etc
- Assist the older individual and help her/him in washing hands
- Ensure proper food and water intake by senior citizens
- Monitor his/her health
Don’ts for caregivers of senior citizens:
- Go near senior citizens if suffering from fever/cough/breathing difficulty
- Keep senior citizens completely bed-bound
- Touch the Senior Citizen without washing hands
These challenging times have also taken a toll on the mental health of the people and the advisory also has dos and don'ts for the mental well-being of the senior citizens which are:
Dos:
- Communicate with relatives at home
- Communicate with neighbours, provided social distancing is followed, and gathering of people is avoided
- Provide a peaceful environment
- Rediscover old hobbies like painting, listening to music, reading
- Make sure to access and believe only the most reliable sources of information
- Avoid tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs to avoid loneliness or boredom
- If you have an already existing mental illness, call helpline (08046110007)
Don’ts:
- Isolate yourself
- Confine oneself in a room
- Follow any sensational news or social media posts.
- Spread or share any unverified news or information further