COVID-19 and Elder Care: What is happening?

Out of 1224 skilled nursing facilities located in California, approximately 85% of them have reported more than 20 cases of COVID-19. https://abc7.com/los-angeles-county-coronavirus-la-nursing-homes-ca/6114057/

Latest CDC statistics show that 8 out of 10 deaths reported in the US have been in adults 65 years and older.  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/older-adults.html

How does COVID-19 spread?

1.     Person-to-person contact
2.     Respiratory droplets via a cough or sneeze
3.     Close contact with an infected individual(s) within 6 feet for 10 minutes
4.     Contact with infected surfaces or objects

What can you do to help?

1. Help Prevent the Spread

   1. Wash your hands often with soap at running water for at least 20 seconds

   2. Use alcohol-based hand sanitizers that contain at least 60% alcohol if you can not wash your hands

   3. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands

   4. Use tissue or paper towel if you have to tough commonly touched surfaces

   5. Practice 6 feet of “physical distancing”

   6. Ensure your vehicle, work materials, and clothing are cleaned every day

   7. Get your recommended vaccines e.g. flu shot

   8. Wear a cloth face mask when going out in public

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms are listed here on CDC’s website: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fsymptoms-testing%2Findex.html

What do you do if you present with symptoms?

1.     Contact your physician immediately

What can Kaleidoscope Home Care do?

If your loved one is NOT showing symptoms of COVID-19 and not tested positive for COVID-19

1. Kaleidoscope Home Care enforces the strictest standards for hygiene and practices all recommended CDC guidelines.

   1. All of our caregivers are trained and provided with PPE’s to do their jobs as safely as possible

2. We will work with you, your family and your physician with instructions for daily care.

3. All of our caregivers are tested for COVID-19. Additionally, we screen our caregivers daily for symptoms. 

4. Our caregivers will wear gloves, KN 95 face masks, and face shields (if requested by clients) and practice the recommended hygiene practices as recommended by CDC.

If your loved one presents symptoms or has tested positive for COVID-19 and has been recommended by your physician to be isolated till they are no longer infectious, Kaleidoscope Home Care will elevate its level of care to accommodate your level of need in the following manner:

1.     Isolation: The client should be isolated from others in the home and we encourage our clients in this circumstances to not accept visitors to their home unless the person is a caregiver who has been screened for Covid-19 AND has appropriate PPE’s

2.     With the door closed

3.     With their own bathroom – if the bathroom is shared, proper disinfection protocols need to be practiced with cohabitant though not advised

4.     Disinfection Protocols – our caregivers will disinfect frequently touched areas, including but not limited to, doorknobs, hand & bed railings, remote controls, faucets, toilets, playing cards etc., according to guidelines enumerated by CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/disinfecting-your-home.html

5.     Our highly trained and skilled caregivers are equipped with masks, face shields, eye protection, and disposable gowns when entering the room and trained to follow procedures to ensure the safety of our client to meet the clients needs

Sources: CDC, California Depart of Social Services

Let's Talk About Falls and Fall Risks in Older Adults

Where do most falls occur?

Most falls occur inside or near the home.

·       55% inside the home

·       23% outside but near home

·       22% away from home

Falls are the leading cause of injury among older adults and are a major threat to an older adults’ quality of life and independence. They often lead to a decline in the ability to care for oneself and participate in physical and social activities. Fear of falling can lead to further limiting activity independent of injury. This can lead to feelings of anxiety, loneliness, social isolation, sadness and depression.

Less that half of adults who have fallen tell their doctors. Falling once doubles your chances of falling again.

Falls are Serious and Costly:

·       Every year, one in three older adults fall and one in five sustain a serious injury such as a broken hip, fracture, concussion, and other injuries

·       Those who fall once are more likely to fall again

·       Over 800,000 persons are hospitalized for falls each year

·       Recovery from injuries, including hip fractures, can take up to a year in a long-term care facility and many people who fall never go home again

Individual and Environmental Factors are the main risk factors.

There are two broad categories of risk factors that increase the likelihood that an older adult will fall. They are Individual (intrinsic) and Environmental (extrinsic). Examples of Individual (intrinsic) and Environmental (extrinsic) factors are age related physical changes, cognitive deficits, gait strength/muscle weakness, balance deficits, shuffling, sensory deficits, chronic conditions, acute illnesses, medications, lack of grab bars, poor lighting, dehydration, arthritis, footwear, assistive devices, home/neighborhood features and alcohol/drugs to name a few.

Fall from an Older Adults point of view.

Older adults frequently think that falls are inevitable with aging but often underestimate their personal risk of falling. Environmental and behavioral factors (like rushing and being distracted) are most often seen as common causes of falls and intrinsic (individual physical condition) factors are rarely recognized. Furthermore, few older adults use proven fall prevention methods such as balance exercises when asked what they do to prevent future falls. They merely state they are being more careful though there is no evidence to suggest that being more careful will actually prevent future falls effectively.

Fall Prevention is Important!

Identifying and addressing risk factors promptly can prevent may falls. Fall and injury prevention continues to be a considerable challenge to older adults and keys to maintaining independence.

Kaleidoscope is committed to working with you, your family, and your physician to assess your fall risk factors and to create a care program that will aid in fall prevention.

For more information:

https://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/falls/adultfalls.html