Older adults and people with serious underlying conditions
are at increased risk of becoming seriously ill from COVID-19, according to
clinical and public health care experts. Among adults with confirmed COVID-19,
those 65 or older are more likely to be hospitalized, admitted to intensive
care units, and die. In fact, 8 out of 10 COVID-19-associated deaths in the
United States occurred among adults 65 years of age or older.
Older adults also have the highest rates of dementia.
Approximately six million adults have some form of dementia, such as
Alzheimer's disease, the most common type of dementia.
Given the risk older adults face from COVID-19 and dementia,
Elly Kleinman Americare provided this additional guide for caregivers of adults
with Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia to reduce the spread of
COVID-19 and help them manage the physical and mental well-being of their
patients and preserve their own well-being. Not all people with dementia need a
caregiver. Therefore, the degree of assistance a person needs will depend on
how advanced their dementia is. For people with dementia, behavioral changes or
worsen dementia symptoms should be assessed, as this could indicate an increased
level of stress and anxiety as well as COVID-19 infection or other infectious
diseases.
With over 35 years of experience as a
licensed home care services agency that has been servicing the greater New York area, Americare,
founded by Elly Kleinman, works with patients with various stages of dementia.
If you are caring for someone with dementia, it is important
for you to know what you must do to protect yourself and others during the
COVID-19 pandemic and what additional steps you can take to protect your loved
ones.
Know when to request
medical care for a loved one.
- ·
Call a healthcare provider if your loved one has
the symptoms of COVID-19
- ·
Keep in mind that older adults with COVID-19
probably won't always have the typical symptoms like fever or cough.
- ·
Use the Self-Check Guide1 to make decisions
about your loved one and know when to seek appropriate medical care.
If your loved one has advanced-stage dementia and needs to
be hospitalized because of COVID-19, make sure the hospital staff know that
they will likely need to receive in-person assistance to provide important
health information and provide emergency support. Below, Elly Kleinman, the
President of Americare, shares several important questions to consider:
- · Be prepared to stay in a healthcare setting with
your loved one. Be willing to follow the personal protection measures
recommended by hospital staff in case you need to stay in the room with your
loved one.
- · Be aware that both you and health care providers
may have difficulty caring for your loved one because the person:
1.
Does not cooperate and may not comply with
personal protection measures such as wearing a cloth face covering or
maintaining social distance
2.
Rejects diagnostic procedures
In that case, do everything possible, or as much as you are
allowed, to ensure that the person with advanced stage dementia complies with
WHO guide.
If you get sick, follow the WHO guide
and have an alternate caregiver take care of your loved one.
Implement guidance in your daily routine and that of your
loved one:
- ·
Wear cloth covers for your face and make sure
others do too.
- ·
Do not apply face cloth cover to people with
respiratory problems or who are unconscious, disabled or unable to remove it
without assistance.
- ·
Wash your hands often.
- ·
Cover your mouth with a disposable tissue when
you cough or sneeze.
- ·
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth if you
did not wash your hands.
- ·
Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces.
Caregivers: Be on the lookout for COVID-19 symptoms
The first step to take when caring for a person living with
dementia in any setting is to assess for behavioral changes or worsening of
symptoms as this could indicate a COVID-19 infection or an increased level of
stress and anxiety. Not all people with COVID-19 have symptoms, but when people
with dementia have COVID-19, the symptoms may include:
- ·
Increased agitation
- ·
Greater confusion
- ·
Sudden sadness
- ·
Cough
- ·
Difficulty breathing
- ·
Fever
- ·
Shaking chills
- ·
Tremors and chills that won't go away
- ·
Muscle pain
- ·
Headache
- ·
Sore throat
- ·
Recent loss of smell or taste
