Overview:
Caring for you at home? Or Providing care at home for a person sick with COVID-19? Know when emergency care is required and what you could do to prevent the spread of disease.
If you’ve coronavirus disorder 2019 (COVID-19) and you’re caring for yourself in your home or you’re caring for a loved one with COVID-19 in your home, you might have questions.
Just how long is isolation necessary? What do you do to avoid the spread of germs? How can you encourage an ill loved one and handle your stress? Here is what you need to understand.
Treatment At-home:
Most people who become ill with COVID-19 will only experience mild illness and can recover at home. Symptoms may last a few days, and people having the virus might feel better in about a week.
Treatment is aimed at alleviating symptoms and contains rest, fluid consumption, and pain relievers.
But older adults and people of any age with existing chronic health conditions should call their doctor as soon as symptoms begin. These factors put people at greater risk of becoming severely ill with COVID-19.
Follow the doctor’s recommendations about the care and home isolation for yourself or your loved one. Speak to the doctor if you have any questions regarding remedies. Assist the sick individual get groceries and any medicines and, if needed, take care of her or his pet.
It’s also important to consider caring for a sick individual might affect your wellbeing.
If you’re older or have an existing chronic medical illness, such as heart or lung disease or diabetes, you may be at higher risk of critical illness with COVID-19.
You could consider isolating yourself from the ill person and finding another person to give care to.
Emergency warning signs:
Carefully track yourself or your loved one for worsening symptoms. If symptoms appear to be getting worse, call the doctor and follow them.
The doctor may recommend the use of a house pulse oximeter, particularly if the ailing person has risk factors for acute disease with COVID-19 and COVID-19 symptoms.
A pulse oximeter is a plastic clip that attaches to a finger. A reading of less than 92% may increase the need for hospitalization.
If the doctor recommends a pulse oximeter, then make sure you understand how to use the device properly and if a reading must prompt a call to your doctor.
Whenever you or the person with COVID-19 experiences crisis warning signals, medical care is needed immediately. Call 911 or your Regional emergency number when the ill person cannot be woken up or you detect any emergency signs, including:
- Persistent chest pain or pressure
- Trouble breathing
- New confusion
- Inability to remain awake
- Bluish lips or face
Protecting others in case you’re sick:
If you’re ill with COVID-19, you can help stop the spread of disease with all the COVID-19 virus.
- Stay home from school, work, and public places unless it’s to find medical care.
- Prevent using public transport, ride-sharing services, or taxis.
- Stay isolated in 1 room, away from your family and other individuals, as much as you can. This includes eating in your area. Open windows to keep air circulating. Use another toilet, if at all possible.
- Avoid shared space in your house as much as possible. When utilizing shared spaces, restrict your moves. Maintain your kitchen and other shared spaces well ventilated. Stay at least 6 feet (2 meters) from the family members.
- Sterile often-touched surfaces on your individual area and bathroom, like doorknobs, light switches, electronics, and counters, daily.
- Avoid sharing personal household items, like dishes, towels, bedding, and electronics.
- Wear a face mask when others. Change the face mask every day.
- If wearing a face mask is not possible, cover your mouth and nose with an elbow or tissue when coughing or coughing. Afterward, throw away the tissue or wash the handkerchief.
- Regularly wash your hands with water and soap for at least 20 seconds, or utilize an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
Protecting yourself while caring for someone with COVID 19:
To protect you while caring for somebody with COVID-19, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) recommend:
- Keep your hands clean and away from the face. Regularly wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after being in close touch or in precisely the exact same room as the sick individual. If soap and water are not available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Avoid touching your eyes, mouth, and nose.
- Wear a face mask. If you want to be in the same room with the person who’s ill and he or she isn’t able to put on a face mask, wear a mask. Stay at least 6 feet (2 meters) from the ill person. Do not touch or handle your mask when you’re using it. If your mask becomes wet or dirty, replace it using a sterile, dry mask. Dispose of the used mask and wash your hands.
- Clean your home regularly. Every single day, use home cleaning sprays or wipes to clean surfaces that are frequently touched, including countertops, tabletops, and doorknobs. Avoid cleaning the ill individual’s separate room and bathroom. Put aside bedding and utensils for the ill individual only to utilize.
- Be careful with laundry. Do not shake dirty laundry. Use regular detergent to wash the sick person’s laundry. Use the warmest setting that you can. Wash your hands after putting clothes in the dryer. Thoroughly dry clothes. If you are managing to clothe that’s been soiled by the ill person, wear disposable gloves and maintain the things from your body. Place dirty gloves and masks at a waste bin with a lid at the ill person’s space. Clean and disinfect clothes hampers and wash your hands afterward.
- Be careful with dishes. Wear gloves when handling dishes, utensils, or cups used by the sick person. Wash the things with soap and warm water or in the dishwasher. Clean your hands after taking the gloves off or handling used items.
- Prevent direct contact with the sick person’s bodily fluids. Wear disposable gloves and a face mask when providing respiratory and oral care and when managing urine, feces, or other waste. Clean your hands before and after removing your mask and gloves. Don’t reuse your mask or gloves.
- Prevent having unnecessary visitors in your home. Don’t allow visitors until the sick person has recovered and has no signs or symptoms of COVID-19.
Ending quarantine or isolation:
Speak to the doctor about when to end home isolation, especially in case you have a weakened immune system. The CDC recommends these guidelines for finishing home isolation after you believe or know you’d COVID-19.
- If you won’t have an evaluation to determine whether you’re still infectious or contagious, you can leave your sick room or house if at least 10 days have passed since your symptoms began, at least 24 hours have passed with no fever with no usage of fever-reducing medicine and other symptoms are improving. Loss of taste and odor might last for months or weeks after recovery but shouldn’t delay end isolation.
- If you’ll be tested to determine whether you’re still contagious, your physician will let you know if you can be around others according to your evaluation results. Many people don’t require testing to choose when they can be about others.
The CDC also recommends that, as the ill person’s caregiver, you quarantine for 14 days and see for frequent signs and symptoms of COVID-19, such as fever, cough, or shortness of breath.
Other options may include ending quarantine after 10 days if you don’t have symptoms and will not get tested or finish quarantine after seven days if you receive a negative test result.
But if you have been caring for someone with COVID-19, you do not need to stay home if:
- You’ve been completely vaccinated over the past three months and have no signs of corona-virus.
- You have had COVID-19 over the previous 3 months, recovered, and stay with no symptoms of corona-virus.
Dealing with caregiving stress:
As your loved ones recover, seek emotional support. Stay connected to others through texts, telephone calls, or videoconferences.
Share your own concerns. Avoid too much COVID-19 news. Rest and focus on enjoyable activities, such as reading, watching films, or playing online games.
As you take care of a loved one who is sick with COVID-19, you might feel stressed too. You may be concerned about your health and the health of the sick individual.
This may affect your ability to eat, sleep and focus, as well as worsen chronic health problems. It may also raise your use of alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs.
When you have a mental health condition, such as anxiety or depression, continue with your treatment. Do contact your doctor or mental health professional if your condition worsens.
To care for your-self, follow these steps:
- Maintain a daily routine, such as showering and getting dressed.
- Take breaks from COVID-19 information, including social websites.
- Exercise
- Stretching, breathe deeply, or meditate.
- Eat healthy meals and stay hydrated.
- Get plenty of sleep.
- Avoid the use of alcohol and drugs.
- Focus on interesting or enjoyable activities.
- Keep Connect with other people and discuss how you’re feeling.
Caring for yourself can help you deal with anxiety. It will also help you be in a position to encourage your loved one’s recovery.
Ask your friends and loved ones for support.
If you’re feeling anxious or depressed, consider joining a support group or seeking counseling. Believe in your ability to take control of the pain…
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