Therefore all Russians older than 65 years is strongly recommended home mode. How to make staying home more comfortable and safe? Tips “Russian newspaper” shared Hope Runchina, Deputy Director of geriatric Russian gerontological scientific clinical center.
Purchase food products and essential drugs
First of all, relatives of the elderly person it is necessary to provide conditions for its lengthy stay at home: purchase all necessary food, household goods, medication, which will last for two weeks or more. Try to buy foods rich in calcium and vitamin D. Lack of sunlight needed to make vitamin D, and physical activity during an outbreak can be devastating to bone health of older people in the future so that they could make up for this lack of food.
Follow the rules of personal hygiene
If you live in the same apartment with relatives of the elderly, you should carefully observe rules of personal hygiene.
the Doctor spoke about the impact of quarantine on the health of older people
If you live separately and offer products and medications, you first must be sure that you have no symptoms of SARS, and secondly, to comply with the “epidemiological quarantine.” Refrain from embracing, keep your distance 1.5-2 meters, use a mask and rubber gloves, leave bags at the entrance and leave.
do Not bring children to visit elderly relatives during this period.
Provide an elderly relative with physical activity
the Lack of walking reduces the activity and must compto insinuate. Without exercise and sunlight in the elderly increases the risk of osteoporosis, and as a result, hip fracture is one of the geriatric symptoms, which leads to death in about a third of the cases. The risk of fracture of the femur in a domestic environment is comparable to the risk of falls and fractures outside the home. It is therefore important, especially in terms of quarantine, to ensure the elderly a secure life and minimize risk factors for falls, and to think about prevention of fractures. Free up space on the balcony so that elderly people could go to bask in the sun. Try to convince your relative to do morning exercises, to perform regular physical exercise, walk around the apartment, perhaps to dance, to do yoga. You can even give the watch to remotely track the number of steps. A sedentary lifestyle will affect not only the bones but also the heart. The recommended amount of physical activity for a relatively healthy person is at least 150 minutes a week.
Control chronic disease
Crimeans were allowed to go to the elderly and sick in the period of self-isolation
From routine doctor visits now must be abandoned. People with chronic disease should continue to comply with all regulations of the attending physician, to take medication. In the case of ill health, acute injuries, falls, they, probably, require urgent hospitalization. Stay in constant communication with their families, to be able to help them in case of emergency, call the doctor from the clinic or ambulance.
Also try to make sure that the phone was always in range of your relative.
Provide an elderly relative safe life
Any trauma in the current situation is particularly dangerous, so try to ensure elderly relative safe life:
• take Care that he had a cane or a Walker, this is especially important for those who suffer from frequent episodes of vertigo.
Public Council at the interior Ministry urged to protect elderly from scams
• Check the condition of the floor in every room, its surface should be smooth and not slippery, also note that the rugs are dangerous for older people since they often stumble on its edge. Carpets should be removed or firmly secured.
• Change light bulbs to night suddenly burned out light. If your relatives live in a house with stairs make sure stairs are well lit and the handrail is fixed.
• Remove from the passages and rooms of all foreign objects that can cause falls. The same applies to wires, they should be attached to the wall so that older people could not stumble.
• If your relative is already broken femur, he is at risk for re-fracture. Therefore, doctors recommend the use of special hip protectors.
• Lay on the floor of the bathroom non-slip Mat.
• Also check if the apartment of problems with the wiring, gas or pipes, so you don’t have to break the quarantine of an elderly person and call him master during an epidemic.
