A home health aide for my partner's parents tested positive for Covid-19 last week. The agency that sent the worker immediately suspended services to our house because we had been exposed.
Now both parents (93 dad in wheelchair and 85 mom in late stage Alzheimer's) have tested positive. Both were vaccinated. As are all the other adults in the house. We cannot resume services until 10 days after the last person tests positive.
Care for both of them was exhausting even with help, and without Covid-19. Mom keeps trying to get up but forgets she can't walk and is hallucinating. We have minimal help coming from hospice services at least, but I don't have any idea how we're going to get through the next 9 days on our own.
On top of that, our 10 year old daughter has to quarantine with us and basically is confined to her room because neither of her grandparents are in sound mind enough to cover coughs. She has to quarantine for an additional 10 days after everyone recovers and will miss her first several weeks of school.
I'm terrified and exhausted. And even worse, I don't know what will happen if one of us gets sick.
I am so very sorry to hear that your family is now: above everything else; afflicted with Covid.
Just as an idea: can the hospitals in your area take your mother; since she is hallucinating? It might be a covid complication that would need medical intervention and care.
Your situation is very complicated and stressful; even before the positive covid testing of both your parents.
I am not sure where you live but you say everyone is fully vaccinated and still getting positive tests.
As Covid takes another death grip on us: I think that maybe a few phone calls might provide some help:
-- your local Public Health Office might help get this important public health (vaccinated yet positive covid test) - information out there.
-- local news to highlight your situation: to inform the public and perhaps help might come from the 'publicity'
-- local Mental Health Community to explain your extremely stressful situation
There might be supports for your situation. I just don't know. However, by informing others it might at least open up more doors.
I am sorry that I could offer no real answers for you. I truly wish the very best for you.
Bevel
Have you called your county's social services to see what they say? Or your local area's Agency on Aging? If you get dead-ends, keep asking them for other ideas on who to call. Wishing you solutions asap and peace in your heart as you work through it all! (((hugs)))
Is there medication available to keep your mom sedated so she isn't getting up? Or sleeping medication for her to have at night? Or anti-anxiety meds to help with her hallucinations? If she has advanced Alzheimer's/dementia it would be common for her doctor to prescribe such meds.
Mom and dad will have to be confined to one area of the house and away from your daughter. If they give you a hard time about it, a little sedation medication in their food will go a long way. You've got a desperate situation and desperate times call for desperate measures. Lock your mother in a room if it has to come to that. It's only for nine days. You'll get through it.
Just wanted to let you know that my cousin had a similar experience as yours. A neighbor exposed her parents, herself, her brother and a cousin. (ranging in ages 50s to 80s). They all 5 tested positive, this was July of 2020 so none were vaccinated.
They had various symptoms, some days one would be more ill than the others. Her dad had the worst case and was hospitalized twice. What really helped them was the fact that the parents were already on hospice and they had oxygen in the home. Cousin lost all her CNA support. The hospice company would bring them supplies and leave them on their porch. She had the practice of taking parents to the local senior center for lunch each day. (look up your local area agency on aging). Since she couldn’t take them with the COVID, the workers at the senior center would box her up prepared food and leave it for her to pick up on their back porch. So she had food available which was great. She was able to go get the food without coming into contact with anyone.
She had oximeters (Amazon) she used to keep an eye on their O2 and pulse and the doctor was great to call in prescriptions for symptoms as needed. They had Albuterol and the equipment needed for that.
She is a big proponent of CBD oil and gives that a lot of credit. They all made it through. Her mom has advanced Parkinson’s and dementia. She is bed bound. Her Dad is a stroke survivor with extreme vision loss and was the most difficult to manage. They were extremely vulnerable. He had hospital delirium and was combative so there was that as well. Cousin had it all on her to manage for the most part. She thinks her dad had it twice.
So just know that you will make it through and hopefully your cases will all be light since you’ve been vaccinated. The pulmonary doctor recommended they all wear masks.
They did not have a child in the group. I know this is hard for your daughter.
If the folks aren’t on hospice, this might be a good time to get them on. There is so much more help available.
I know when cousin had her dad in the hospital (maybe 2 or 3 days each time) she was able to get much needed rest. She had cameras in the house from when her mom would wander. She asked her sister to watch her dad on the cameras so she could sleep. Sister would call her to let her know when her dad was up. One day she forgot to feed her mom. Her mom has to be spoon fed and it would take hours to feed her. Amazingly her mom was the most asymptomatic of them all. So again, they had COVID without the benefit of the vaccines and all 5 tested positive. Hopefully your experience will be much lighter since you have all been vaccinated. Let us know how you are doing.
to find your AAonA, google Area Agency on Aging, your county, your state and you will find it. Each county has one.
They are not all the same. Cousin has a long standing relationship with hers but give yours a try. They might be able to help feed your family during this time.
Why were these people not in a care facility long ago? They belong in one.