Elderly persons here, although they tend to be at a greater risk for acquiring COVID-19 infections, need not do anything more than the general public by way of lessening the potential for these risks. So said career general practitioner Dr. Michael Goodluck while he explained to Asbert News Network several things geriatric care providers ought to know as they work to prevent the eventuality of an infected ward.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat is difficult with the virus is that it\u2019s difficult to fight something that you cannot see. People need to understand that when you\u2019re in the open air \u2013 like in public, in the hot sun walking around \u2013 you don\u2019t get the virus that way. It\u2019s not really in the air floating around per say because the sunlight which is our greatest disinfectant, nature\u2019s greatest disinfectant, probably the world\u2019s greatest disinfectant; the UV rays break down the viruses.<\/p>\n
“You have to come in direct contact with somebody, touch their face and so forth, come into contact with dirty surfaces because the virus can stay on dirty surfaces for like 9 days in the case of corona.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo you always have to have that barrier. Wear masks only if you\u2019re sick. The thing about wearing masks, most people just cover their nose and their mouth. You can also get the virus through your eyes as well. Those are the three areas. So you have to wear goggles too.<\/p>\n
\u201cSometimes the mask could be a bit of a waste of time really and truly. More recommended for persons if you\u2019re the one who is actually sick. Lots of fluids, if they have sore throat let them gargle with warm vinegar or very warm salt water. And let them drink lots of fluids.\u201d<\/p>\n
This, the venerable doctor said, would \u201cwash the virus down into the stomach where it could be destroyed by the low pH content of the stomach. Wash their hands, shower them and make sure you clean them and disinfect all surfaces because their systems are compromised for many different reasons apart from age, chronic disease etc. so keep their environments nice and clean \u2026 and you\u2019ll just decrease the chance of [getting them] infected with the coronavirus. \u201d<\/p>\n
Dr. Goodluck noted several of the challenges faced as people the world-over battle against the now infamous COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s difficult out there because you don\u2019t have to show symptoms to transmit the virus. You can look \u2018otherwise healthy,\u2019 and you can transmit the virus. So again that makes it so difficult, so difficult.<\/p>\n
“The elderly, as much as they can, we know some of them have joint pains they would not be able to readily raise their elbows to their faces and cough in their cubital fossa (flexed elbow) like a young, fit person. So that\u2019s where it is too but you have to still tell them how to cough and of a system in disposing of [used] tissues.\u201d<\/p>\n
As for the elderly with mental health challenges, \u201cthey would have to be constantly supervised; they would have to be constantly cleaned. Soap and water is still our best disinfectant out there in closed spaces.<\/p>\n
“Just follow these necessary steps and you can significantly decrease the chances of inoculation and transmission even.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sparing a word for the importance of \u201cproper nutrition\u201d to our country\u2019s senior citizens\u2019 immune system, he said:<\/p>\n
\u201cThey are to be properly nourished. Let them eat very healthily. A healthy body, a well-nourished body, a well-hydrated body will be able to fight off any disease. Whether it\u2019s corona or whatever organism may inoculate the human form.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dr. Goodluck\u2019s career has spanned over 25 years in active practice having completed an elderly care management diploma, as part of his medical studies. Over the last 15 years his private clinic has been augmented by \u201cdistrict work\u201d across St. Vincent and the Grenadines with wide-ranging work experience \u201cin all departments in medicine.\u201d<\/p>\n
Symptoms of a possible coronavirus infection in elderly persons are not unlike those that younger adults would show, if infected, he told us.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe common ones are pain in the throat, fever, they may have a cough or pains to the joints, generalized body aches or feeling of tiredness.<\/p>\n
But Dr. Goodluck warned, \u201cyou might more see the elderly with a fever, complaining that they feel very tired and weak. That might be masked by the fact that sometimes they may look that way or may have that sort of demeanor even without being infected.<\/p>\n
\u201cSometimes our elderly tend to look very lethargic and you have to discern whether or not they\u2019re sick or if it\u2019s just an integral part of their aging.<\/p>\n
“But you look for things like a fever, if they\u2019re complaining of having a painful throat or dryness to the throat, if they start coughing or sneezing a lot or complaining of generalized body aches more than what is normally observed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Knowing the client under your care is just as essential as knowing what symptoms to look, the doctor urged.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe elderly normally complain of a lot of body aches and pains because of things like osteoarthritis, rheumatism etc.<\/p>\n
“So some of these [conditions] might co-exist. You have to be vigilant and observe certain changes you knew were not there.<\/p>\n
“You have to know who you are dealing with; you have to know the elderly who come under your care so that you could be able to differentiate any pre-existing conditions.\u201d<\/p>\n
Goodluck again stressed that persons ought to remember \u201cthat the virus is not airborne\u2026 it is very fragile like lots of viruses. It is very fragile and could easily be destroyed especially with heat.<\/p>\n
“That\u2019s why we always stress the therapies now that allow you to inhale hot air, drink lots of hot fluids. Persons who you suspect are infected can get into hot tubs, into steam rooms and inhale the steam, the hot air.\u201d<\/p>\n
These measures can help to kill the virus the doctor disclosed while reminding us that \u201ceducation is key\u201d in this anti COVID-19 fight. He also encouraged that caregivers find resource persons who can help them to answer any concerns as presented by the clients or their families.<\/p>\n
Locally, persons can call 1 784 534 (HEAL) 4325 or email coraonavirustaskforcesvg@gmail.com for officially sourced information through the Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn terms of institutions for elderly care – elderly care homes or nursing homes \u2013 persons have to be vigilant and adhere to certain standards with respect to visitors entering the homes.<\/p>\n
“They must adhere to certain guidelines because persons can come into the homes and the viruses can be transmitted and can infect the clients.<\/p>\n
\u201cStrict guidelines must be adhered to. Persons must be able to wash their hands and disinfect because it can be transferred to doorknobs, pushing the door, the rails and the areas where the elderly must hold on for their balance when they are ambulating. That is very important.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou must adhere to protocol and strict guidelines and these things must be properly supervised because that\u2019s how the clients at the homes are going to get it \u2013 they are not going out most of them are in, so whatever infection is there is coming in to meet these clients.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo we have to be their keeper and the management teams, in charge of the homes, should always make sure that they themselves as well as the visitors adhere to the guidelines as stipulated for the prevention and transmission of the COVID-19.\u201d
\nJP.Schwmon.Vincy@Gmail.Com<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Elderly persons here, although they tend to be at a greater risk for acquiring COVID-19 infections, need not do anything more than the general public by way of lessening the potential for these risks. So said career general practitioner Dr. Michael Goodluck while he explained to Asbert News Network several things geriatric care providers ought<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":9537,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[53],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9664","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-health"],"yoast_head":"\n