Covid 19: Home Care & Precautions for the Elderly People

2020 has been a year of Coronavirus pandemic so far, and how long it will continue to be the same, no one knows yet. However, speculations are made that the vaccines will soon be available for the general public. However, until there is no access to the vaccines to everyone, it is mandatory for them to be alert and mentally prepared to combat the ravaging disease by being more alert and aware. On the broader aspects, the older adults are the most affected group of individuals among all. The question arises why is this so? Why are the senior citizens more prone to this pandemic, and how can we take care of them at home, ensuring adequate care for them?

Why Senior Citizens Are More Prone To Covid-19?

Individuals turning 50s, 60s, 70s, or 85+ are at a higher risk of hospitalisations and deaths due to the coronavirus pandemic. As compared to the people of a younger generation, they have been found more resistant to this devastating worldwide disease. This can be perceived that the age factor increases the risk of infection among individuals with severe illness.  

It is noteworthy that what do we mean by the term ’severe illness’, especially in the case of a disease like a coronavirus. When we talk about the severity of this fatal disease, we mean the following scenarios:

• The patient can be hospitalised.
• There are instances when a patient needs to be taken care of under the intensive care unit.
• There are chances when there is a requirement for a ventilator for breathing assistance. 
• At the extreme, the patient may even die.

Severe illness among senior citizens tends to be more devastating as it leads to significant loss to the human resource and mortality rate of the state. It is indispensable to take a look at the statistics for a clearer picture of the scenario. 

Why Covid-19 Is a Matter Of Concern For Senior Citizens?

Let’s take an example of statistics:

On broader aspects, in the US, 8 out of 10 older deaths were reported due to Covid-19 in adults who were and more aged than 65 years of age. 

Given below is a brief description of how prone are the older adults likely to be hospitalised in case of coronavirus. 

reference:https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/older-adults.html

As we can interpret from the data that the individuals who are of 85+ years of age are at a risk of 13 times more than those of people of age group between 30-39 years of age in case of hospitalisations. Also, the fatality rate is 630 times more among the people of 85+ years of age as compared to the four times of mortality in the people of the age group of 30-39 years. 

The primary reason behind the age factor among individuals who are suffering from Covid-19 is persistent illness among individuals. More often, senior citizens suffer from a disease or two. People with certain health conditions are at a higher risk of getting infected by the disease. In the light of a list of certain health conditions, some of the following cases can be considered. These are as follows:

• Severe heart conditions are some of the cases where the patients are at a higher risk of getting infected by the Covid-19. These may include, coronary artery disease or cardiomyopathies.
• Any disease that deals with kidney functioning.
• Sickle-cell disease.
• Type-2 diabetes.
• A weakened immunity due to organ transplantation.
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Obesity with a BMI of more than 30 is also at a higher risk of coronavirus. 

Senior citizens suffering from these diseases should be more careful at the time of pandemic as they are at a higher risk of getting trapped within the trap of this fatal disease. Now, the question arises of what such patients are required to do if they are under certain circumstances. 

There are increased chances of infection of coronavirus among people who are already suffering from any underlying disease which is quite common among people of old age. Therefore, it is suggested to keep their underlying condition under control to minimise the probability of getting influenced by the disease. 

Following are some of the steps that can be taken for controlling any particular disease among older people:

• Such patients should not skip their medicines.
• Old age people should keep a back-up of medicines in advance during Covid-19.
• They should not delay any emergency medications if it occurs.
• Get instant help from the nearest healthcare provider for reducing the possibility of getting into a severe condition.

Alarming Symptoms of Coronavirus Disease

There are some common yet alarming symptoms of coronavirus among individuals. These are as follows:

• Fever.
• Fatigue.
• Shortness of breath.
• Cough.
• Sore throat.
• Chills.
• Muscle ache and pains.
• Repetitive shaking with chills.
• Headache.
• Loss of taste and smell.

In case a patient experiences such symptoms, he should be immediately given the necessary treatment for the coronavirus. 

Few Practices Can Help Senior Citizens Reduce The Perils Of Coronavirus

There are some of the practices that can assist senior citizens in dealing with the possibility of getting infected from the coronavirus. These are as follows:

• Washing of hands after every 30 minutes can work in the best possible manners. In case this is not possible, then consistent use of 70% alcohol-based sanitisers can help a lot. 
• Increase the intake of citrus fruits or vegetables that are rich in Vitamin C in the diet.
• Gargle with lukewarm water by adding salt and turmeric. Make sure to boil it well and then bring it to a lukewarm temperature.
• Ensure to do exercises and pranayama daily.
• Take a balanced diet at regular intervals. 

These are some of the practices that can save the elderly from the threats of Coronavirus. However, in case of an emergency, it is indispensable to take assistance from medical healthcare providers. If you’re a scholar working on an academic essay on Coronavirus and the elderly, then we hope this blog was of some help. Otherwise, you can look for essay writing help on the internet; there’s a ton of resources available.