Experts recommend safe social contact with elderly loved ones during pandemic

Dennis Shanahan reports

WANT TO SEE THEM TOO.

THEEXPERT I SPOKE WITH OVER ZOOMTALK ABOUT WAYS TO FIND THATBALANCE WE KNOW FROM A LOT OFRESEARCH THAT SOCIAL ISOLATIONIS VERY HARMFUL FOR OLDERADULTS AND FOR THEIR FAMILYCAREGIVERS DOCTOR TERRY HARDAT HIS DIRECTOR OF THE FAMILYCAREGIVING INSTITUTE AT U CDAVIS IS BETTY IRENE MOORESCHOOL OF NURSING KEEP YOURDISTANCE BUT STAY ENGAGED ANDSTAY IN CONTACT, SHE STRESSESTHE IMPORTANCE OF MAKING SUREOLDER ADULTS FEEL LOVED ANDCARED FOR DURING THIS TIME ASIMPLE PHONE CALL IS GOOD FORMENTAL HEALTH.

WE ARE NOWCALLING.OUR MOM EVERY DAY.

AND I'VEGOT.

8 SIBLINGS WHO ARE DOINGTHIS.

SO WE CAN COVER ALL THEDAYS THE WEEK AND IN TERMS OFCHECKING IN ON HER AND SHEWANTS THE FACT THAT SHE'STALKING ALL 4 CHILDREN MOREOFTEN THAN SHE WAS BEFORE THEPARENT THAT IN SITUATIONSWHERE THERE IS AN IN-HOMECAREGIVER DOCTOR HARBATHADVISE THAT PERSON TO CONTINUESTAYING IN THE HOME AS MUCH ASPOSSIBLE.AND CONSIDER HAVING OTHERSWHO LIVE OUTSIDE THE HOMEPROVIDE CARE IN WAYS THATDON'T INVOLVE PERSONALCONTACT.

THE OUTSIDE THE HOMEPEOPLE CAN GO GROCERIES KENAND PICK UP THINGS THAT ARENEEDED TO BRING THOSE TO THEDOOR LEAVES THEM AND THEN THATYOU'RE GIVE HER CAN BRING THEMINSIDE SO THAT THE RISK FOREXPOSURE IS.

KEPT AT A MINIMUMRESEARCH CONTINUES TO INDICATETHE CORONAVIRUS IS MOSTLYSPREAD THROUGH THE AIR WE DOKNOW, HOWEVER THATTRANSMISSION CAN ALSO OCCURWHEN WE TOUCH A HARD SURFACETHAT IS CONTAMINATED AND THENWE TOUCH OUR FACE ON THAT NOTEDOCTOR HARVEY AFTER RECOMMENDSPEOPLE CONTINUE TO WIPE OFFNEW NON POROUS ITEMS THAT COMEINTO THE HOME.

SHE'S ALSOCONCERNED THAT OLDER ADULTSARE NOT SEEKING OUT THE HEALTHCARE THEY NEED FOR FEAR OFGOING TO THE DOCTOR ALONE ANDSHE URGES HEALTH CARE SYSTEMSTO ALLOW CAREGIVERS TOACCOMPANY THEM.I KNOW YOU SEE DAVIS WEALLOWS FAMILY CAREGIVERS TOFEEL OLDER ADULTS TO ACCOMPANYTHEM INTO THE EMERGENCYDEPARTMENT AS THEY'RE BEINGSEEN THERE RECOGNIZING THATPARTICULARLY FOR SOMEBODY WITHDEMENTIA HAVING US A REAL YEARFACE WHO IS WITH THEM ISINTEGRAL TO THEM HAVING THEABILITY TO COOPERATE ANDSECURE THAT THEY NEED DENNIS