How to stay connected when physical distancing keeps us apart


ever before. As many of us of take comfort in the company of our im- mediate family at home, plenty of older adults aren’t so lucky. In fact, over 26 percent of older Canadians live alone, and without reg- ular visits from family and friends, they have been cut- off from the outside world. This separation can lead to


A feelings of loneliness


and isolation, which are both detrimental to over- all health and well-being. Fortunately, there are some simple steps we can all take to stay connected to the ones we love when physical distancing keeps us apart. The COVID-19 outbreak has disrupted


s social/physical distancing becomes the new normal, older adults are at risk of becoming more isolated than


few simple strategies to stay together, even though we may be miles apart. • Establish a good routine – People are


creatures of habit and we all have things we look forward to; setting up a regular time to con- nect with your loved ones will help you stay in fre- quent contact. This is espe- cially important for people who may be experiencing memory loss. So, no matter what form of communica- tion you choose, setting the schedule ahead of time will help you stick to it. • This probably goes


Krystal Stokes Healthy Living


our daily routines and caused a great deal of emotional distress. As people stay home wherever possible to save lives, being dis- connected from the ones we love can add to that stress and anxiety, even though it’s for a very important reason. The Public Health Agency of Canada is advising people to stay home and practice physical distanc- ing because it is, “proven to be one of the most effective ways to reduce the spread of illness during an outbreak.” Because older adults are in the higher risk category, physi- cal distancing becomes even more impor- tant to people in this age demographic. We still need to take care of each other


and our older family members, neighbours and friends during this difficult time, but we might need to get a little more creative to do so! A few months ago you might have visited your grandmother to play a game of cards and catch up, but today you might do an online crossword together on the phone or through video chatting! As things change, we can adapt and find new, fun ways to stay connected. Here are a


without saying, but don’t forget to pick up the phone and check-in


with your


loved ones as often as pos- sible. Phone calls have long been the best form of com-


munication for families who live apart. When I was a kid we used to call my grand- parents every Sunday at 6:00 p.m. (they lived in a small Manitoba town) and I was so excited as the clock ticked closer to our evening call. We’d spend an hour catching up and I would play something on the or- gan while they sang along. Sometimes peo- ple also need to talk through their anxieties and fears, so take the time to listen as much as you can. • Use technology – more older adults


are online than ever before, in fact, accord- ing to Statistics Canada, they represent the fastest growing segment of internet users across the country. A recent study looked at usage increase over a three-year period and found that 56 percent of adults aged 75-84 use the internet and 33 percent of adults over the age of 85 do too! Their de- vice of choice? Mostly desktop computers or laptops, as only 18 percent of seniors aged 75+ reported owning a smartphone. So, if your loved one has an email address, a daily email is a great way to say good morning and let them know you care. You


can also include links to some helpful sites, like the Shared Health information page on COVID-19. https://www.covid19manitoba.ca/ • If they aren’t already online, connect with


them CyberSeniors, an advocacy


group that provides tech training to se- niors through a network of trained youth mentors. They recently announced they are waiving their fees during this difficult time. They can even teach you how to do online grocery shopping. Please call 1-844-217- 3057 for more information. • Connect through social media - of those older adults who are online, 62 per- cent are on Facebook. Social media is a great way to share family photos and vid- eos. If your loved one is new to Facebook, make sure they have the proper privacy set- tings on their account and know not to ac- cept friend requests from people they don’t know. It’s a good rule of thumb to check in with the person who sent the request before accepting. For more information on Facebook for seniors, check out this article from The Senior List. https://www.these- niorlist.com/blog/facebook-tips-seniors/ • Play online games together – a great se-


cure site for doing the daily crossword and other fun games is Reader's Digest Canada.


As a Beatles fan, my favorite game is Fin- ish that Beatles Lyric! Other fun quizzes in- clude, How Well Do You Know these Clas- sic Leading Ladies of Hollywood? https:// games.readersdigest.ca/ • Try out a video chat platform like Google duo, which works with multi- ple devices - According to their website, “Google Duo works on Android and iOS smartphones,


tablets, computers, and


Smart Displays, so you’ll never miss an- other moment with any of your friends and family.” So, if you have an iPhone and your loved one only has a computer, you can still video chat. Here are some other links you might find helpful:


Information on Social Distancing - https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/ services/publications/diseases-conditions/ social-distancing.html


A network of helpers coming together as a community - https://helpnextdoormb.ca/ Information on the Anxiety Disorders


of Manitoba’s new Support Line - http:// www.adam.mb.ca/blog/adam-s-new-sup- port-line-info


Krystal Stokes is the Communications Man- ager at Victoria Lifeline, a community service of the Vic Foundation.


oronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory tract infection caused by a newly emergent coronavirus first recognized in Wu- han, China in December 2019. While most people with COVID-19 develop mild or uncomplicated ill- ness, results in China found that approximately 14% developed severe disease requiring hospitalization and oxygen support and 5% require administration to an intensive care unit (ICU). Clinical presentation of a mild illness may have non-specific symptoms such as fever, fatigue, cough, muscle pain, sore throat, shortness of breath, nasal congestion or headache. Some patients may also pres- ent with diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea and vomit- ing. Most patients (about 80%) recover from the dis- ease without needing special treatment. Older patient or patients with pre-existing medical conditions (high blood pressure, heart disease, lung disease, cancer or diabetes) may be more likely to develop serious illness How does the coronavirus spread?


COVID-19 is primarily spread via coughing, sneez-


ing, or direct contact with a sick person or via surfaces sick patients have recently touched. It is not an air- borne illness.


What should I do if I have symptoms and think I have COVID-19?


If you are sick or think you may have been exposed


to COVID-19: • Patients must self-isolate. • If you have mild disease, you do not require hos- pitalization, unless there is a concern for rapid dete- rioration. • Isolation is necessary to contain virus transmis-


sion – return to hospital only if symptoms worsen (onset of difficulty breathing, pressure in the chest, confusion, drowsiness, or weakness).


6 whatsupwinnipeg.ca


What you need to know about COVID-19 C


Assiniboine Pharmacy


• Patients with severe symptoms will require an ur- gent hospital visit.


How can I protect myself and my family from COVID-19?


• Stay home and avoid social and other outings that


are not essential. • If you must leave your home, practice proper physical distancing. • Wash hands often and well. • Avoid touching face, nose, or mouth with un- washed hands. • Avoid close contact with people who are sick. • Stay at home and away from others if you are feeling ill.


Should I wear gloves outside of my house or in public places?


• Medical gloves are an important component of


Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) of healthcare workers, however, gloves do not need to be worn by the general public during their daily activities. • Gloves are not a substitute for proper hand hy-


giene.


I am worried about catching COVID-19, should I wear a mask if I have to leave my house?


• Wearing a non-medical mask, such as a home- made cloth mask, has not been proven to protect the person wearing it. • However, wearing a non-medical mask may be helpful in protecting others around you if you are in- fected.


NSAID use and COVID-19:


At this time, there is little to no scientific evidence supporting the notion that complications of COV- ID-19 increase due to the use of NSAIDs. The pro- posed mechanism by which NSAIDS may increase the risk of complications is based on reduced anti- body production, fluid/sodium dysregulation, and others. In addition, NSAIDs have been linked with poorer outcomes for lower respiratory tract infec- tions/pneumonia.


Since acetaminophen (Tylenol) can help re-


duce some types of pain and lower temperature in fever without NSAID-related adverse effects (bleeding, cardiac events, and kidney dysfunc- tion, particularly in those with other risk factors) it is reasonable to consider it a suitable first-line agent in patients experiencing symptoms due to likely COVID-19 infection. Until the impact of NSAIDs on the course of COVID-19 is known, it appears that the use of acetaminophen may be a safer choice. Keeping in mind, of course, that it is rarely necessary to lower one’s temperature as fever is one of the key vital signs that allow clinicians to recognize whether a sick patient is improving or worsening. What about low-dose ASA? ASA can prevent


strokes/heart attacks and at low doses (81 mg) it does not harm the kidneys/heart function. If pa- tients have been prescribed low dose aspirin, do not discontinue its use during infection. ACEIs/ARBs and COVID-19:


ACEIs/ARBs are a class of medication used


to treat hypertension, these include medications such as Ramipril, Perindopril, Captopril, Enala- pril, Lisinopril, Candesartan, Irbesartan, Losar- tan, Valsartan and others. Despite initial reports of an association between


the rates of COVID-19 infection and/or severe COVID-19 infection with hypertension, diabetes and cardiovascular disease, there exists no recom- mendations that suggest discontinuation of an ACEI/ARB during this outbreak. Various societ- ies such as the European Society of Hypertension, Hypertension Canada, the Canadian Cardiovas- cular Society and others all recommend continu- ing ACEI/ARB due to the lack of evidence to support differential use in COVID-19 patients. Please speak to your pharmacist or physician if


you have any concerns about medication use and COVID-19 infection.


May 2020


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