Living in social isolation has been a tough adjustment for most of us in this unprecedented time of the COVID-19 pandemic. Another way of looking at the situation is that we're all living in a home care world for a while...
Here are some lessons that come to mind for me in this time:
- Home Care Recipients live their whole lives in Social Isolation: Whereas for most of us, this is a temporary phenomenon, our home care recipients are socially isolated almost all the time.
- Communication with friends and loved-ones makes us feel less alone: I'm certainly finding myself calling family and friends more than usual during this time. We can take that as a home care lesson - let's help our home care recipients keep in touch with their family and friends. Can we teach them how to text or use Facetime?
- There are creative ways to collaborate: Below is a collaboration from students who attend the Berklee College of Music here in Boston. Although they're apart, they found a way to collaborate as a virtual orchestra to make a nice piece of music. Can we find ways to hold "virtual social hours" where home care recipients can see and talk to one another online?
- Spread Joy: Another note about the video above is that they chose "What the World Needs Now is Love." This is a great message for a time like this. How can we spread joy?
- Going Outside is a pleasure: On Saturday, my wife, daughter, and I got in the car and drove to Lake Waban on the campus of Wellesley College and took a walk around the lake. This is something we do often and normally take for granted, but on this occasion just getting outside and walking felt great.
- Previous generations went to war. We can tough it through a time of isolation: This time is confusing and hard, but we are mostly safe and staying in our warm homes with all that we need. We can get through this.
Thanks to all the home care workers who are providing care during this time!
Thanks to the healthcare workers who are staying away from home to protect their families.
Thanks to the grocery and pharmacy workers who are providing the essential services and supplies that we need.
Thanks to the manufacturers who are getting ventilators, masks and other protective equipment during the crisis.
Thank you for reading this!
If you're interested in COVID-19 resources for home care, click here
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Ankota provides software to improve the delivery of care outside the hospital, focusing on efficiency and care coordination. Ankota's primary focus is on Care Transitions for Readmission avoidance and on management of Private Duty non-medical home care. To learn more, please visit www.ankota.com or contact us.
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