Tips For Seniors During Covid-19

Cases of Covid-19 have been rising drastically in USA and around the world.  Evidence from cases thus far have shown that seniors are at the highest risk with this illness.  Not only are more seniors contracting the virus, their mortality rate is among the highest too.  This calls for seniors, around the world, to be extra vigilant and careful about their health.  The following tips can help you reduce the risk of getting seriously sick because of this virus:

1. Avoid Crowds: The first thing that seniors should immediately do is avoid leaving their residence.  As we know by now, Covid-19 is highly contagious.  So, the best way for seniors to reduce the risk of contracting the virus is by staying at home.  Medical professionals suggest that symptoms of Covid-19 may not manifest till 14 days, but the virus can be contagious even when the person doesn’t have any symptoms.  Hence, it is extremely difficult to know who’s sick and who can be a carrier.  At this point, anyone and everyone can be carrying the virus and it is hence best to stay indoors.
2. Wash your Hands: The Covid-19 virus can stay on surfaces for hours and even days.  If you touch that surface and touch your face after, there’s a high chance of you contracting the virus.  Hence, it is highly recommended that you frequently wash your hands with soap and water.  You can also use hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.  It is also recommended that you cover you coughs and sneezes so that you don’t spread the virus, if you have it.
3. Disinfect your Home: Keep your live-in space clean and frequently disinfect those areas of your residence that tend to be touched more often.  These can include door knobs, chairs, phones, and more.  A benefit of our communities like our 55+ apartments in Des Moines, IA is that we have a dedicated maintenance & cleaning team that takes care of cleaning the common areas for you.
4. Monitor your Symptoms:  The best way to reduce the mortality rate of Covid-19 is by catching it early.  You can do so by checking your temperatures twice a day.  Having a temperature is among the few early signs of the diseases.  You should also educate yourself about the various other symptoms of Covid-19, including cough, difficulty in breaking, and others.  If you have any of these symptoms; you should call your family doctor to get advice.  If you decide to visit emergency, please call in advance so that they can make the necessary arrangements for you.  The last thing you want is to spread the disease to other people.
   
   These are tough times for everyone, and we all need to try to do what we can to take care of ourselves and others. Hopefully these tips are of use, and we wish you all good health during this crisis.