{"id":4079,"date":"2020-10-22T21:28:08","date_gmt":"2020-10-22T19:28:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/?post_type=article&p=4079"},"modified":"2020-10-22T21:28:08","modified_gmt":"2020-10-22T19:28:08","slug":"niehdu-hsieb-lill-anzjani-matul-dan-il-perijodu-difficli","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/en\/article\/niehdu-hsieb-lill-anzjani-matul-dan-il-perijodu-difficli\/","title":{"rendered":"Caring for the elderly during this difficult period"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

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W<\/span>hen it comes to COVID-19, older people are especially vulnerable to severe illness. Research\u00a0<\/span>has<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>shown<\/span>\u00a0that adults 60 and older, especially those with\u00a0<\/span>pre-existing<\/span>\u00a0medical conditions, especially heart disease, lung disease, diabetes or cancer are more likely to have severe \u2014 even deadly \u2014 coronavirus infection than other age groups.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If\u00a0<\/span>we<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>are<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>caring for an older loved one,\u00a0<\/span>we<\/span>\u00a0might be worried.\u202fOne important way to lower the risk of\u00a0<\/span>our<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>older family members catching COVID-19 is to limit in-person visits.\u00a0<\/span>However<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>this\u00a0<\/span>is<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>being<\/span>\u00a0tough for older adults who cherish time spent with family members<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>friends<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Physical distancing\u00a0<\/span>does not<\/span>\u00a0have to mean isolation or loneliness. We need to keep older adults safe, but also keep in mind that social isolation can have a negative impact on older\u00a0<\/span>people\u2019s immunity<\/span>\u00a0and mental health.<\/span>\u00a0It is<\/span>\u00a0easy to let negative thoughts and feelings creep in around the COVID-19 pandemic. Keeping a positive mindset\u202f<\/span>is<\/span>\u00a0a big support that\u00a0<\/span>we<\/span>\u00a0can give\u00a0<\/span>to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>our<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>elderly<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I<\/span>nteracting<\/span>\u00a0and being socially engaged is so important to get through this difficult time<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>However<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0we know from what\u00a0<\/span>took<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>place<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>in<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>past<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>months<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>that<\/span>\u00a0the best prevention is\u00a0<\/span>for\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>elderly<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>social<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>distance<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>keep away.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But<\/span>, t<\/span>he elderly rely on social connection more than most and they need it now more than ever. The elderly and retired\u202fsometimes need a helping hand and they also often need to have people around them.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The\u00a0<\/span>present<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>circumstances<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>are<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>depicting<\/span>\u00a0a\u00a0<\/span>situation<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>whereby<\/span>\u00a0y<\/span>oung<\/span>\u00a0people and older people\u00a0<\/span>are<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>get<\/span>ting<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>COVID-19.<\/span>\u00a0Young people and older people with\u00a0<\/span>coronavirus<\/span>\u00a0do get sick and require hospitalization, so\u00a0<\/span>it is<\/span>\u00a0a disease of all ages.\u00a0<\/span>However<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>most of the younger adults that are sick enough to be in\u00a0<\/span>h<\/span>ospital<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>are likely to recover.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>On<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>other<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>hand<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>elderly<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>patients<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>with<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>health<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>complications<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>struck<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>with<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>COVID-19\u00a0<\/span>are<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>battling<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0virus and\u00a0<\/span>some<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>are<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>succumbing<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>it<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>is<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>not<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>only<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>up<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>elderly<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>distance<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>themselves<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>from<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>others<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>take<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>necessary<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>health<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>precautions<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>It<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>is<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>also<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>responsibility<\/span>\u00a0of\u00a0<\/span>other<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>age<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>groups<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>follow<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>advice<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>instructions<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>as<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>provided<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>by<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>health<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>authorites<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>The\u00a0<\/span>elderly<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>should<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>be<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>treated<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>with<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>utmost<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>care<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>respect<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>dignity<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>This<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>is<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>why<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>t<\/span>he<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>older<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>generation<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>needs<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>our<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>support<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>feel<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>safe<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>at\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>same<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>time<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>stay<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>connected<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  When it comes to COVID-19, older people are especially vulnerable to severe illness. Research\u00a0has\u00a0shown\u00a0that adults 60 and older, especially those with\u00a0pre-existing\u00a0medical conditions, especially heart disease, lung disease, diabetes or […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":4082,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"spay_email":""},"issuem_issue":[187],"issuem_issue_categories":[7],"issuem_issue_tags":[],"translation":{"provider":"WPGlobus","version":"2.8.8","language":"en","enabled_languages":["mt","en"],"languages":{"mt":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"en":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false}}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article\/4079"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/article"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4079"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article\/4079\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4085,"href":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article\/4079\/revisions\/4085"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4082"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4079"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"issuem_issue","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/issuem_issue?post=4079"},{"taxonomy":"issuem_issue_categories","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/issuem_issue_categories?post=4079"},{"taxonomy":"issuem_issue_tags","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/issuem_issue_tags?post=4079"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}