Hyderabad: With every pandemic comes a special warning, and this time, the sudden outbreak of the novel Coronavirus has come with a greater warning for elderly people, basically people above the age of 60 years.
The doctors have said that elderly people, who tend to have a weaker immune system and have some or the other medical conditions are at a higher risk of getting infected by COVID-19. Thus, in this age, where these old people wish to go and meet their friends in the garden or even go for a walk, they now have to stay home, which in turn may lead to boredom and later, frustration.
Considering the same, the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences recommends the following tips for taking care of elderly during COVID-19.
Quality Time with Family
In this digital world, where every eye is glued to the screens, spend time with your family. Encourage children to talk to their grandparents. If you stay away from them, instead of wasting your time over social media, utilise the time to talk to them on phone calls or even video calls. Involve them in family discussions and take their opinion in important decisions.
Involve in Daily Chores
To keep boredom away, the best way is to involve them in daily household chores. They can help in doing small activities like chopping vegetables, organizing their things or even gardening, which happens to make many people happy and this way, they stay close to nature too. Keep them engaged in small things.
Engage in Recreational Activities
During this stressful time, spend some time in recreational activities. With age, it becomes necessary to keep the brain active and thus, they can be involved in playing puzzles, board games like ludo, chess, etc. Grandchildren can play an important role in this.
Exercise is Important
Physical fitness is essential for people of all ages, but especially for the elder people, who mostly spend their time indoors. Simple stretching exercises, yoga and even meditation can help with their physical as well as mental fitness.
Staying Connected
With the trend of nuclear families in today’s scenario, distances among families have increased. But these physical distances can be cut short with just a small gadget that we all own. Video calls or a simple phone call can make them happy and stress free as they talk to their loved ones. You can also make them talk to their friends and relatives of the same age.
Take a Break from the News
Constantly listening to non-stop coverage and coming across rumours related to COVID-19 can cause panic, anxiety and stress in old people. Therefore, it also becomes important to seek news only from credible sources and that too, not continuously. Take breaks from news channels and tune into some music or watch comedy shows, that will help relax and lighten up their mood.
While India has been constantly trying their best to fight the novel coronavirus, we can do our bit by staying home and keeping the mood at our homes relaxed and stress free. WIth being at a higher risk, it is normal for elderly people to panic. Hence, it becomes our responsibility to stand with them, support them and help them take care of all the precautions recommended by health and government authorities.
Also, read: Children's mental health and coping with COVID-19 pandemic
