Dr. Matthew Tan from DTAP (Dr. Tan & Partners) Clinic shares some tips on how caregivers of the elderly can juggle working from home and guarding their elderly charges from any risks of infection.

Said Dr. Tan, “Covid-19 is dramatically affecting how we live and work. Social Distancing and strict movement limitations have forced us to rethink the way we do things.”

He continued, “Some of us with elderly family members are now also caregivers, especially since even senior-friendly facilities have also closed. It may seen daunting to be suddenly entrusted with taking care of elderly family members but I believe we can take care of their health and ours, even if confined to our homes.”

Here are Dr. Tan’s top tips.

[1] Look after ourselves 

Said Dr. Tan, “Caregiver burnout is a major reason for accidents or lapses in the care of elderly people. And this circuit breaker is an extremely stressful period that would necessitate that caregivers look after themselves.”

Dr. Tan urges caregivers to give themselves time to rest and get 6 – 8 hours of sleep per day to replenish their energies. He added, “Cat naps during the day are useful if your elderly family members need extra help at nights.”

And as well, consuming 6 – 8 glasses of water daily is important too. And added the doctor, “Add on another glass of water for every caffeinated drink you take.”

[2] Hygiene

Said Dr. Tan, “Abide by the social distancing measures when you are out. Clean your shoes when you get home, take a shower immediately and deposit your clothes into the washing machine or a designated container. See a doctor if you are unwell.”

This is because caregivers of elderly are the person in the family who are most likely to go out and buy groceries, pick up medications and so on, thereby exposing themselves to infections which they may also invariably pass on to their elderly family member.

[3] Monitoring their conditions 

Said Dr. Tan, “Chronic conditions in elderly tend to be more numerous and vary in severity. Caregivers need to monitor their condition and respond appropriately. A tele-communication with their doctors will be useful to understand their treatment regime and consulting the doctors about warning signs of a possible worsening of their conditions.”

As well, taking care of the mental well-being of their elderly charges is also important such as by drawing up a timetable for them to replace their pre-covid routines and regain some regularity in their lives.

Added Dr. tan, “Planning activities involving mental stimulation such as video chats with extended family, Sudoku sessions, jigsaw puzzles, light stretching and simple exercises also helps. Avoid passive and debilitating activities like sitting in front of the television and spending the whole day in bed.”

Photos by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels