A senior living community is a housing community for seniors and usually has a minimum age requirement. Some seniors maintain a more independent and autonomous lifestyle whereas others require a higher level of medical care and assistance in daily activities. Residents of these communities are at a higher risk for diseases and illnesses, especially during this period of COVID-19. Seniors who have chronic health conditions such as diabetes or lung diseases are even more susceptible to getting COVID-19 and experiencing severe health complications. If you are thinking about visiting your loved one in a senior living community during this period, you must take precautions to minimize the risk of exposing your loved ones to covid. Read on to learn about what you should do during senior living community visits!
Check Updated Community Visitor Policies
Since this is a period of uncertainty, community policies regarding visitors can change, so it is important to always stay updated on the current rules. Try not to visit loved ones if your presence is not absolutely necessary. Most importantly, if you feel sick, have been in contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19, or if you have been diagnosed with COVID-19, you definitely cannot approach the senior living community until you have completely recovered. Although it may be hard to not see your loved ones often, there are many other ways to show your support and love for them such as the following:
- Keeping in touch through video calls, phone calls, emails, and text messages.
- Recording video messages if live video calls are not feasible.
- Sending cards, letters or presents to your loved one with messages of love and encouragement.
Wear a Mask During Your Visit
In spaces like senior living communities, diseases and illnesses can spread very easily because there are many shared spaces like dining rooms or game rooms. It is crucial to wear a mask in any shared space to protect yourself from getting the virus. In case you have already been unknowingly infected, the mask lessens the risk of you spreading the virus to your loved ones.
Follow Social Distancing Rules
Try to maintain a social distance of six feet from other people as much as possible. It is especially important to avoid contact with people who have been diagnosed with COVID-19, or who have come into close contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case.
Wash Your Hands Regularly
Washing your hands regularly helps to reduce the risk of getting and spreading the virus. Wash your hands for at least twenty seconds with water and soap before and after you leave a common shared space, room or building. You should also wash your hands after you have sneezed, coughed, or blown your nose. If facilities to wash your hands are not around, then you can use hand sanitizer as a replacement.
Inform the Community if You Develop COVID-19 Symptoms
If you happen to notice that you have developed symptoms of COVID-19 while you are at the community or after you leave, inform the senior living community’s management immediately and self-isolate. It is of utmost importance that we all do our part in following the proper rules and regulations before, during, and after visiting our loved ones so that we can minimize the spread of COVID-19 as much as possible!
