The coronavirus pandemic has been tough on all of us. However, for those who battle with disabilities, this is an especially trying time. The Advantage Home Health Solutions team is very sensitive to the needs of people with mobility issues. This is why we insist on offering only the highest-quality mobility solutions. But, as a caregiver of someone with disabilities, what can you do to help ease the burden caused by COVID-19?
Offer assistance with hygiene.
Wash your hands regularly. Use warm water and soap and take at least 20 seconds to complete the routine. This is the advice we’ve been hearing for weeks. For most of us, it’s easy advice to follow. For people with disabilities, the tip goes in the “easier said than done” category. Be sure to help your loved one with disabilities with washing his/her hands and other hygiene necessities.
“For some of us, even cleaning our homes and washing our hands frequently can be extra difficult, due to physical impairments, environmental barriers, or interrupted services,” explains Andrew Pulrang on Forbes.com.
Contact their work.
Is your loved one with disabilities able to work from home? If so, this will provide a much easier path to maintaining optimum health. Many employers are offering remote work as options for their staff members. Be sure to find out what the employer of your loved one is doing to help keep his/her employees safe during the pandemic.
“People with disabilities and chronic illnesses regularly struggle to carve out flexible work arrangements, including reasonable accommodations and telecommuting,” says Pulrang, “Such measures are now being looked at in a different light by many employers, in response to a problem affecting all workers, not just those with disabilities and ongoing health conditions.”
Deliver their groceries.
Many stores are offering additional business hours to allow the elderly and those with disabilities convenient times to grab groceries. Avoiding big crowds is of the utmost importance. However, if your loved one with disabilities can’t shop on his/her own, offer to become that person’s grocery delivery person.
On RickHansen.com, Madeline Barber explains that many stores are attempting to help those with mobility issues during the pandemic. “Because people with disabilities are at a higher risk, some stores are making changes to make grocery shopping more accessible, with shopping hours dedicated for the elderly and persons with disabilities,” she notes.
Look into additional home care services.
If you’re the caregiver of a person with mobility issues, you’ll likely need some help in the weeks and months to come. The COVID-19 crisis is impacting all of us. You have your health to consider as well as the health of your loved one with disabilities. If the pressure becomes too much, you may want to look into getting some professional home care help.
“Especially during an outbreak, congregate care facilities are not necessarily safer for elderly and disabled people,” notes Pulrang, “They are the opposite of isolated. Facilities may have access to more medical resources to treat and control the illness. But a single disabled person at home, with at most one or two careful and prepared aides, may actually benefit some from their relative isolation.”
For more information about the mobility solutions offered by Advantage Home Health Solutions, please don’t hesitate to give us a call at 403-460-5438. You may also email us by filling out the form on our Contact page!