Medicare promotes and safeguards the health of senior citizens. A survey reports that by 2030, every 1 in 5 people will be 65 or above. As a result, exhaustion of the Medicare program is more than likely to happen.

However, with the recent COVID-19 spread in full-bloom, to protect the senior citizens and managing old homes is more important than ever before.

We see hospitals and practices, in general, are equipped with the latest certified EHR systems aiding a new-age healthcare system to evolve, sustain, and respond to improved outcomes – technology is now an essential part of the healthcare system. In such times, optimal use of tech is where it all begins and ends.

Furthermore, medical billing services have a responsibility to play in these critical times. They have to support healthcare providers who are fighting on the frontlines with coronavirus disease. As our healthcare heroes risk their lives, we, as healthcare IT experts, have a responsibility to fully support them in this time of crisis.

For the most part, growing old isn’t easy, but due to innovations in technology and new inventions, caregiving has become more manageable. As a senior citizen, you deserve all the care out there as it is your right to have that. We are here for you as a provider’s systemic support during the coronavirus pandemic. You mustn’t go on blaming yourself for running a cold, persistently coughing, or sneezing without a break because it is no one’s fault.

Let’s look at a few approaches we can adopt to minimize the COVID-19 Community Spread.

1. Reunite seniors with their Professions   

We don’t realize our growing age, but others do not let it go unnoticed. The slow deterioration of health; the gray hair; the wrinkles on the face & neck give it away and have a story to tell the others. The fact of the matter is that the number of gray hairs tells us the number of years you have cared for others. Therefore, never feel the shame in being old. It is the exact opposite – you are the wisest of all!

As we reach the latter part of our lives, we grow fonder and closer to our memories, especially the most-cherished ones. We may not be able to perform even the basic tasks like going to the bathroom and back, but those memories are what hold us together during the darkest of times.

If you want the senior citizens to listen to you, you must respect their memories during the COVID-19 lockdown. A big part of their survival depends on the good times they had in the past. Make use of those memories as part of the place where they sit and spend most of their time. For example, put a movie on which they like from the past to take off the edge from this whole pandemic situation buildup.

Let them do what they do best. For instance, if someone is a carpenter, include semi-finished wooden shelves in their skills room. They can use tools under supervision to create the next masterpiece. This way they get to be happy and kill some time as well.

Similarly, a professor will be happy with books and students in a class.

On the whole, to keep coming up with ideas to engage them is a difficult but necessary process.

2. Make them Feel Ageless

They are our seniors, and we have to give them respect more than anything else.

To never let them feel old should be one of our goals.

From where we see them, they are young and energetic souls and will forever remain like that. To stop the COVID-19 community spread, much needed along with the stay at home part is the motivation for them every hour of the day; and words of love and support to look past their problems could just be it.

In an old home, look for ways to make them feel young. It’s not a piece of advice but an opinion that we would do the same thing if we were in your place. When we feel happy, we feel young inherently; it helps in mental and emotional stability. (which we need at the time)

3. The crippling old age demands a perfect meal during the coronavirus pandemic

A way toward happiness is to eat delicious meals. You must equip the facility with nutritionists who are ready to prescribe corona-friendly weekly diet plans to residents. Foods that add variety to the menu and also strengthen their immune systems.

Something delicious but allowed in their age brings color to their faces and puts an end to the routine doom & gloom. Hence, have a plan in place to prepare a variety of foods for them – Foods that do not interfere with their healing cycle, of course.

Since food is a natural motivator, to ask each of them of their favorite food item is a good start. Moving forward, set up diet charts for them with the help of nutritionists.

An example of food can be scrambled eggs; a name everyone understands. I am not a food specialist or an old home administrator, but I say these things out of my experience with elders at home and materials I read on the web.

4. Ensure the flooring has no apparent obstacles

This is one of the factors we must take into consideration in a caregiving facility. It can be a real game-changer. The flooring should be plain and simple without any speedbumps. So, if you find some flooring that needs repair, it could help them from tripping over and falling. Since corona is in full effect, we don’t want hospitals to fill up with non-corona patients.

Stairs should not be part of an old home with seniors. If there are stairs, keep them locked at all times.

At an older age, we tend to fall without rhyme or reason. Hence, stairs present a big threat or an injury that is waiting to happen. Keep elders away from stairs and only let them use them as tools for exercise. A supervised trip to level one and back to the ground floor once a day can be a good workout for them.

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