Question

How have you interacted with your elders during the COVID 19 pandemic? How have you maintained respectful communication while using facemasks and other PPE? What behavior modifications can you suggest that has been successful to you in your practice? Please share any approaches that may help all of us.

Answer 1

Answer:

The higher risk group for the severe illness from covid -19 are elderly as most of them belongs with one more co morbidities.Support for the elder population is an essential part of the treatment as well as responsibility in this pandemic situation. Their biggest fear was about being left alone and insecurity for being without family members when they were in quarantine or isolation period. So more time were needed to spend with them to make them feel comfortable and secure. Along with the treatment , psychological/ emotional support was a necessity among these population.People who were in help with care takers were needed to provides more care than others to accomplish their personal needs. The right information were passed to them regarding the status of the covid -19 to relieve their anxiety. Technology played a vital role( especially viodeo call with the family and friends) to overcome the related issues.

It was a great deal to maintain a respectful communication to the patient when caring them, due to use of PPE and face mask and the strange situation of what they were going on.Ensure that the people are wearing their glasses or hearing aids , to make the communication easy. Talking slowly and in gentle tone was a great approach to make them understand what we are dealing with.Sometimes gestures helped in some extent.As lip reading from the staff was impossible due to the facemask, making a pause when asking questions helped a lot.Learn to use more eye contact and use of eye brows to pick up some sort of emotions.

The staff should ensure that there is no more social inequality or discrimination to the serving population. As a human being all have the right to get best treatment. Sympathetical approach and modification in behaviour is needed more to the patient in this pandemic. Considering them as a family member will help for both the patient and staff. With this concept,the patient will feel they are secure in staff's hands as well as the staff will get energy to look after the patient even if they are tired.