Authorities are urging everyone that is able to to stay home and practice social distancing. These are measures that many people have never seen before. Your parents may not understand what to do. Help them understand what social distancing means.
Leave a Minimum Six-Foot Gap
Leave at least a six-foot gap between people. If your parents have to go out, they need to leave that six feet of distance. To put the six-foot gap in perspective, grocery stores recommend a gap of two shopping carts. Six feet is the length of a cow, the height of a typical refrigerator, or two yardsticks put end to end.
Socializing With Neighbors Isn’t Okay
Your parents may know their neighbors well, but this is not the time to go outside and be social with them. They don’t know who their neighbors have been around. If they have to talk to a neighbor, they need to do so from a safe distance.
Make sure your parents know they shouldn’t be going to their neighbor’s house for coffee. They shouldn’t be having dinner parties. They need to limit socialization to phone calls and online chats.
Daily Walks Are Fine
Your parents can go outside to take the dog for a walk or go for a walk. Recommendations are to stay six feet apart. It’s also recommended that people wear a mask when outside the home. As your parents are walking, they need to cross the street if someone is walking in their direction.
If there’s no way to pass another person and leave a six-foot gap, your parents could stand aside and turn their heads. Wait for the person to pass before continuing on the way.
Stay Home if You’re Sick or May Have Been Exposed
The CDC says that it can take up to 14 days for symptoms to appear after you’ve been exposed. If you learn you were in a store or building where someone else had COVID-19, stay away from your parents for two weeks. This is essential for preventing the spread.
Your parents may still need someone to help them with medication reminders, meal preparation, housekeeping, and grocery or prescription pick-ups. Hire senior care aides to handle those tasks while you’re in a self-quarantine. Senior care aides are trained and ready to help out with the tasks your parents cannot do independently or safely while the pandemic is occurring.
If you or an aging loved one is considering senior care in Lone Tree, CO, please contact the caring staff at SYNERGY HomeCare today at 303-953-9924.
