While the corona crisis has become a global concern, it is a matter of fact that people over 60, and especially over 80, are predominantly susceptible to the fatal disease. As per the statistics, the death rate of those above 80+ years is 14.8%, those in the age bracket of 70-79 years is 8%, those in the age bracket of 60-69 years is 3.6%, those in the age bracket of 50-59 years is 1.3%, while for all other ages, it is below 0.2%.
Although there is no scientific or proven evidence to indicate that older people are more likely to acquire the coronavirus than younger people, experts say that if people over 60 are infected, they are more likely to have severe, life-threatening ailment. They are particularly at higher risk as elder people tend to have weaker immunity, which makes them more vulnerable to infections of all types.
Some 1.7 million people, mostly older, are in nursing and elder care homes in the U.S. Considering these facts, being an elderly care assisted living facility, it is our topmost priority to ensure safety of our seniors. In lieu of the same, AlfredHouse Assisted Living is making sure that we take all the precautions to help our employees and residents remain safe. Take a look at some of the conscious efforts taken by our team:
- Familiarizing with right information and guidelines- Along with the spread of coronavirus, the spread of fake news has followed suit. In such times, it is vital to keep updated with the right sources of information. We, thus, read up and follow recommendations provided by Center for Disease Control and Prevention (C.D.C.) and World Health Organization (W.H.O.).
- Sanitization of AlfredHouse homes– We have stepped up cleaning of our homes. We regularly undertake cleaning and disinfecting surfaces that are touched a lot.
- Adopting safety measures– We make sure we make sanitizers available at all AlfredHouse homes. We encourage our residents to wash their hands frequently with soap and warm water for 20 seconds and avoid handshakes.
- Training– All staff, including housekeeping and caretakers, receive COVID-19 infection control training in addition to online infection control training. Employees are continually and repeatedly reminded of the importance of adopting good personal hygiene. They are encouraged to wash their hands after each service administered (or several times in between, if the need be).
- Wearing masks- All staff at AlfredHouse Assisted Living is required to have proper wearing of surgical masks to maintain good personal hygiene. We also encourage our residents to wear a surgical mask for mutual protection.
- Fumigation– In a bid to guarantee maximum safety, we have undertaken fumigation of our homes. We’re encouraging and supporting others in doing the same.
- Sterile Equipment– As the virus spreads due to human contact, we make sure that all the equipment we use is well sterilized before and after use. We personally oversee our staff and make sure that this is followed without any carelessness.
- 24*7 Medical Aid- Our in-house doctors and nurses always ensure that our employees and residents remain safe. In case of any symptoms, these professionals are there to cater to the residents instantly.
- Encouraging the elderly– We make sure that elders stay positive during the pandemic. In our efforts, we emphasize the importance of maintaining good habits, including healthful eating, indoor exercise and sufficient sleep.
- Going Virtual– Sure, we have had to restrict visits by even family members in the interest of safety, but distancing doesn’t mean disconnection. Our residents are encouraged to email, use FaceTime, Skype or even make telephone calls to keep in touch with their loved ones.
We swear by this formula: ‘Preparedness, not panic, is the best way to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.’
We are confident that with the right practices, and adequate social distancing, we can help curb the spread of COVID-19.
Until then, let’s be cautious and help each other stay safe.
For any more information about our elderly care assisted living facility, please log onto: www.alfredhouse.com
