COVID-19 Health Guidelines for Seniors

It has been a long, dark year for all of us, but it seems like we found the light at the end of the Covid tunnel.

Thailand kicks off its long-awaited COVID-19 vaccination program on March 1, 2021. While this may sound like the best news we’ve gotten so far in a year of pandemic, the vaccines aren’t yet available to everyone.

Older adults and people with long-term health conditions are among the first groups of people to get the vaccine as they are considered most vulnerable to the virus. While the arrival of vaccines may have given us hope, don’t relax on COVID-19 precautions just yet.

Until the world is 100% Covid-free, you should still keep your guards up. Here’s how.

  • Health Guidelines for Seniors
  • Health Guidelines for Caregivers of Seniors




Download PDF

Health Guidelines for Seniors

The risk for severe symptoms of COVID-19 increases with age. Therefore, the Department of Disease Control suggests the following guidelines for older adults:

Wash your hands, a lot

Wash your hands frequently with soap or 70% alcohol hand sanitizers before eating, after using the toilet, and after touching surfaces outside of home. Avoid touching your face, eyes, mouth and nose.

Eat freshly cooked meals

And always use serving spoons when eating with other.

Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze

Cough and sneeze on your elbow, with your mask on, or cover your mouth with a tissue and wash your hands immediately.

Avoid crowded areas

Keep at least a 1-2 meters distance from others in public and replace face-to-face interactions with device-mediated interactions.

Have your prescriptions ready

If you have long-term health conditions, such as a heart problem, diabetes, high blood pressure, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) or cancer, please make sure you have your prescriptions prepared. Have caregivers pick up your prescriptions for you, if possible.

Keep your mental health in good shape

Exercising, gardening, listening to music and meditation are all good stress-relieving activities.

Health Guidelines for Caregivers of Seniors

Being in close contact with one of the most vulnerable groups makes it important for caregivers to stay safe and healthy. If you are a caregiver, the Department of Disease Control suggests that you:

Monitor your health frequently

Avoid close contact with older adults if you have cold-like symptoms.

Avoid unnecessary physical contact

Keep some distance between you and the person you are taking care of.

Wash your hands frequently and always have your face mask on

We can’t emphasize this enough.


Sources:
Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health
Nikkei Asia