Below are some
Guidelines to follow for domiciliary care of COVID-19 patients
Taking care of a COVID-19 patient can be a stressful and anxiety-inducing situation. Especially since precautions need to be taken by ensuring proper use of protective gear and maintaining social distancing.
If you know someone who requires domiciliary care or if you have a domiciliary care patient in your own home, then here are a few guidelines you can follow for domiciliary care of COVID-19 patients and ensure that the patient and everyone around them stay safe. Remember, don’t take chances with your own heath! You are no good to a loved one if you catch the Virus, too.
patient care
What Is Domiciliary Care?
Domiciliary care is a type of patient care that allows the patient to receive treatment in the comfort of their own home without being hospitalized. They are usually people of old age who may be living independently and require a nurse or someone by their side to assist in day-to-day tasks. However, people of all ages can require domiciliary care.
There are two reasons why this may be so:
First, the patient's condition may be such that it may not be feasible to move them out and take them to the hospital.
Second, due to lack of accommodation, the patient may not be able to move to a nursing home or hospital.
It has also been observed that in early stages of mild disease these patients can be very effectively managed at home under the virtual care of a physician. Managing a patient at home would help reduce the burden on the healthcare infrastructure. Also, if chances of recovery from a certain disease or illness are high by following medical care at home, then domiciliary care is also opted for by many. In this regard, for COVID-19, domiciliary care is often advised in order to prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed due to limited resources.
Here’s what to do
What Domiciliary Care Protocol Should Be Followed for COVID-19 Patients?
There are a few key domiciliary care guidelines to implement strictly if someone in your home tests positive for COVID-19. For starters, the caregiver should be limited to one person. In addition, this caregiver should stay in quarantine till the patient carrying the virus has recovered completely.
- Protect yourself and limit contact with the patient, wear gloves and mask up when coming in contact.
- Isolate the patient in a separate room, make sure the room is well ventilated and has windows to allow proper air circulation.
- Avoid sharing the same items such as utensils, blankets or any other personal objects.
- Eat in separate areas, the COVID-19 patient can be provided food separately in their room.
- Sanitize surfaces such as doorknobs and counters often, and wash hands with soap and water for 20 seconds frequently.
- Monitor the patient in set intervals while limiting contact.
- If the patient’s condition gets worse, call medical services for help before taking the patient to the hospital.