“Two weeks to flatten the curve” has turned into nearly two years of living with a worldwide pandemic. It’s common to see news reports about the latest COVID-19 variants, with Omicron being the most recent concern everywhere.
How is the spread of Omicron affecting families, especially those with loved ones in nursing homes? Across the country and around the world, we are seeing record surges in COVID-19 infections. Unfortunately, there is an increase in Omicron cases among nursing home staff members and residents.
Protecting Your Loved Ones
At this point, everyone is trying to find a balance between spending time with their loved ones while minimizing the risk of COVID-19. After months of lockdowns and stay-at-home orders, family members are looking for solutions to care for seniors without increasing the risk of serious illness.
The reality is the Omicron variant is highly contagious, with some medical professionals saying that everyone will be exposed at some point. While it’s always important to minimize exposure whenever possible, the best thing each person can do is protect themselves through vaccination.
Is It Time to Get Boosted?
When the COVID-19 vaccines rolled out, available doses were first made available to front-line workers and high-risk people. Seniors are in one of the highest risk categories, which means that they were among the first groups to get vaccinated.
But the effectiveness of vaccines starts to decrease with time, which is why the CDC recommends booster shots to increase protection against severe illness and death. Talk to your doctor about whether an elderly family member should get a booster shot.
Protecting Against Elder Abuse During a Pandemic
Not only do families need to be proactive about protecting against disease, but social isolation is another factor that is having a significant impact – especially among the elderly population. If you have a loved one requiring care services, be careful to prevent elder abuse and neglect. Our team at Senior Safe and Sound is here to educate families about the proactive steps they can take to prevent and identify signs of elder abuse. Learn more by emailing us at info@SeniorSafeAndSound.org or call 858.480.7551.
This information is intended to inform the public at large about this important issue. It is not intended to serve as legal or medical advice.