Underreported Facts in the wake of COVID19

There are some relevant facts that haven’t been highlighted enough about what we are learning with regard to infections and the devastating consequences to our seniors during this crisis...

1. The single best place to get COVID19 or any other virus is... the Hospital.

2. The hospital is the last place you want to send a senior during this time, keeping them safe at home is critical. The consequences of them going extend beyond the virus.

* The hospitals have failed to put extensive plans in place to aid the seniors family with communication and denied them access, this is not just about comfort, some seniors are poor medical historians, what issues are missed or miscommunicated because of this one fact.

* If your senior does need to go to the hospital and they currently reside in an independent living facility, assisted living facility, or a nursing home upon discharge they will be punished further with quarantine rules that are in place at all of those facilities.

Hospitals are not the enemy of these facts, the doctors, nurses, and healthcare team are all doing their level best to do what they were designed to do; treat and street. They have not been the model of Care in healthcare for decades, the care part of healthcare is left to Family and Primary Care Practitioners, and dare I say Home Care Agencies.

Hospitals are unavoidable at times and yet for our senior population, the most vulnerable there are steps and measures to put in place to reduce the potential visit to the hospital. The first step is to recognize the decline in functioning and address this with your loved ones. Minimize the risk for falls, medication errors, clutter, and disease by considering the aid of an extra set of hands around the house. In-home caregivers are one of the best investments for keeping seniors safe and secure while remaining independent.