If either my husband or I were exposed/infected we could move into our RV in our driveway to isolate away from my mom. Just realized if we both caught corona virus we have no plans in place for my mom’s care while we are isolated. We are proactively self isolating in our home as much as possible with the exception of hospice visitors coming in and grocery store visits with gloves, sanitizing etc.
If we actually both got sick...
Doubt a respite care would take her with exposure, not sure if visiting care givers could be hired.
Thoughts?
When I'm ill and I leave my bedroom, I first wash my hands, forearms, and face really well and then put a cover-up over my clothes. I have several loose dresses, robes, and beach cover-ups available to throw over my clothing. If I cough or sneeze while out of the bedroom, I lift my clothing neckline and put my entire face under my clothing while bending my neck as far down as possible and turning away from areas I really wish to protect like kitchen counters. Then I clean my hands and forearms again with sanitizer, making sure under and around the nail beds get extra attention. Sometimes I go change clothes and start over. If I'm in Mom's room when I feel a cough coming on, I step into the hall and try to get as far from her room as I can.
When helping Mom I try not to even touch things she needs to touch unless I have just finished cleaning my hands. If I need to move the walker I use the structural support bars and not the hand grips or top rails Mom uses. I disinfect surfaces I have touched before retreating back to my room.
I have stocked up on frozen meals, frozen fruit, cereal, popsicles, canned soup and frozen homemade soups I so I don't have to actually cook if I'm ill. Walmart has grocery delivery and my nephew and his wife live next door and could be counted on to bring us anything we need. My niece-in-law is in her 40s with no underlying health conditions and would care for my mother if needed. I'm lucky that Mom's minimal care requirements would be providing food and drink, helping her get up and resettled for bathroom trips and washing her bottom and changing her incontinence panty 2-3 times a day (she pees most of the time when sleeping now). Unless I get deathly sick, I should be able to keep things going. My usual backup (Mom's younger sister) is 70 with diabetes and I do not feel I can ask for her help with covid-19. Area ALs/MCs/NHs are not accepting new residents or any visitors except those approved by the DON. There is some planning on setting up an isolation area where potential new residents would stay for 30 days before moving into a LTC facility being discussed.
We have a couple of confirmed cases in my area from international travelers but no community spread yet. Right now I plan on sending Mom to ADC for another week or until community spread begins or the NASCAR race crowd comes to town. Then we are going to stay home alone until at least the weather lifts. I see lots of afternoons watching old movies in our future...
In the past when I've had colds, I wear a mask 24/7, except in the shower, and gloves when caregiving. Not once have I passed on a cold to any of them.
They are mailing out diplomas. All this time in school and she will have no official ceremony to remember.
Of course, public safety comes first but she is sad. So are we. I don’t get to hear my daughter’s name called or see her in her cap and gown.
I’m bummed out today.
It's good to set up a plan for her care if you and your husband both are unavailable- whether due to coronavirus or anything else.
1. Ask my mom's main carer - who's been at home for 2 weeks now - to move in with my mother. She has a little dog who's really frightened by our cat, so the cat has to be in another place.
2. Isolate in my home with my cat.
3. Iv'e sent this morning to my 2 best friends an updated list of the most important contacts and will send them encrypted instructions for everything asap.
For now I can't think of anything else without feeling my brain going numb.
This recipe was shown on our local news channel for homemade sanitizer.
1/3 cup aloe vera gel
2/3 cup of 99% rubbing alcohol
Mixing bowl
A spoon or whisk
A clean empty container such as a plastic travel bottle or a pump bottle
Simply stir ingredients and pour into container. You may also add a few drops of essential oil for a pleasant scent.
Put good practices into place now. Keep 6 feet from loved one. Practice good hand washing techniques (consider hand and fingers have 6 surfaces to clean while singing happy birthday song twice). Frequently disinfect surfaces that are touched often: knobs, buttons, counters... If you must be close to mom to loved one to provide care, consider washing hands before and after care and "breathing" away from loved one's face.
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