How Caregivers Can Stay Safe During The COVID-19 Pandemic

Americare Hospice: Professional Care While Also Minimizing COVID-19 Risks In Arizona

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed a lot about the way we do things, but it hasn’t changed our needs. Sick people still need care, and terminally or chronically ill people still need hospice and palliative care to make their quality of life as good as it can be. Some family members might take on the role of caregiver during this time to try to manage risks. However, you can still get the professional care that your loved one needs while also minimizing your risk.

Here are a few things that caregivers can do to stay safe during the pandemic:

Female Caregiver Helping A Disabled Man While Practicing COVID-19 Safety Measures In Mesa, AZ

Practice Basic COVID-19 Safety Measures

We all have to take basic safety measures, no matter what our jobs and no matter where we are. However, caregivers need to be especially vigilant since they will be in close proximity to others and they will be close to people who are already ill.

Some safety measures you’ll need to follow include:

  • Washing Your Hands Frequently
  • Avoiding Touching Your Face, Especially Your Eyes, Nose, Or Mouth
  • Keeping a Distance Of At Least Six Feet From Other People, Whenever Possible
  • Always Wearing a Face Mask Around Others

Social distancing may be the hardest of these to maintain when you are a caregiver. However, you can keep distance from other family members who are in the house and encourage the limiting of visitors in the space. Taking these steps will protect you, your patient, and family members.

Social Distancing: Change Your Break Types

All caregivers need to take regular breaks as a form of self-care. Otherwise, burnout can happen very quickly. Providing hospice care can be emotionally and physically exhausting – especially for those caregivers who give it their all.

In the past, you could get a quick break by getting out of the house and doing something fun, like going to see a movie, meeting a friend for coffee, or even just shopping for a bit. You can’t do many of the things you might have done for breaks in the past now. However, you still need those breaks. You just need to adapt them. Some options could include taking a walk in the neighborhood or going to a park or other outdoor area that’s not heavily populated. Get creative, but get the breaks you need.

Find New Ways To Socialize During The Pandemic

Socializing is a great way to relieve stress and relieve stress. But the pandemic has made it hard to socialize the way we have in the past. Some of us have been quarantined for months, without seeing anyone for long stretches of time, other than random strangers in those quick, supermarket visits.

You can still get the benefits of spending time with friends and loved ones if you just think outside the box a little. You can have a regularly scheduled zoom chat with friends, or even an online game night. You can participate in a car parade for someone’s birthday, or engage in sharing care packages with friends. You can even get together with people, such as going on a walk together outside, while standing six feet apart. Just rethink the way you approach socializing, and you can still spend time with the people you love.

Providing care for a loved one is going to be stressful, even when your heart is full in it. The pandemic has made everything even harder on all of us, changing our routines and making us feel more isolated than ever. You can manage some of the hardship and reduce your risk by following these tips. Or you can hire a professional hospice care provider in Mesa to get the care your loved one needs. The professionals will know how to take the right precautions, and they will provide the highest quality of care for your loved one while also taking the pressure off you, so that you can focus your attention on having the best relationship you can with your loved one in those final days.

Contact Americare Hospice & Palliative Care In Mesa

Call Americare Hospice and Palliative Care in Mesa if you need care for your loved one. We offer hospice and palliative care in the home, with the goal of creating the best quality of life possible in your loved one’s final days. We provide support for the family, as well, including counseling, grief counseling, and spiritual counseling. Contact us today to learn about our hospice care and how we are adjusting our services for the pandemic.

 

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Americare Hospice and Palliative Care

1212 N. Spencer St., Suite #2
Mesa, Arizona 85203

Office: (480) 726-7773
Fax: (480) 726-7790
Email: info@americarehospice.org