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My 84 year old dad and 57 year old special needs sister has been diagnosed with Covid. Their homehealth care givers have to quarantine, so no heath care is being provided for them at this time. Both need help with taking medicine and food prep. My sister needs help with bathing, grooming, food prep, and help with taking her medicine. She goes to the bathroom on her own. I'm so worried about them right now.
They were diagnosed on Friday, January, 29 2021. They got it from one of the care givers who was diagnosed with it around January 12, 2021. I'm so worried about them. I can't sleep.


They live out in Arkansas and out in the country. I don't know what to do. I feel helpless, because I live in Texas. They are in quarantine and it hard just to get people to even take food to them. Sometimes my dad won't answer the phone, and that really scares me. Currently he has a mild cough. Other then that he feels fine. My sister coughs all the time especially over in the night. They don't have a fever or showing any other systems. My sister is non-verbal and mentally disabled. So we can't tell how she's really feeling. My dad says she's doesn't look sick or out of the normal.


What can I do? Is there help for people in this situation? Is there a special nurse who has been vaccinated and with PPE who can come out at least to give my sister the care she needs in the mornings? Is there a place they can stay to get the help they need? They both get Medicaid/Medicare. Please help. Sorry for writing so much,

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Call the health department in their county. Area Agency on Aging is another source for assistance with identifying resources.
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If it helps at all, my 91-year-old mother, who is on hospice care, currently has Covid. She has a mild cough, and that's all. Her hospice nurse considers her case to be so mild that it's asymptomatic.

Have faith -- not all elderly folks die of it, and many don't even get too sick.
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Dear "abbjones2,"

My 95-year old mom with Alzheimer's had COVID back in April when it was still fairly new and not much was known about it. She had severe dehydration/UTI which the mobile nurse said she was more likely to die from than the COVID.

Like "MJ1929's" mom, she didn't have extreme symptoms either and was only in the hospital for four days before being transferred to rehab because she wasn't eating, drinking and was very weak. She was completely mobile before that and now she will never walk again despite having tried PT three times.

Upon release from rehab, I moved her to a new facility into their MC wing (she was in AL where this all happened; the facility was riddled with COVID cases/deaths) and was immediately under hospice care. She was released from hospice services Dec. 18th. Once again, she is having eating issues causing weight loss so I may have to have hospice reassess her.

So just know not all elderly people die from it.
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Who is their Case Manger/Social Worker? You do know that their agency bills Medicaid an administrative fee to make sure "services are in place?" You call that person and ask for their plan of action and put it squarely on their lap.
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Thank you. I will call on Monday.
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You can call APS (social services, Dept of Health and Human Services) and report them as vulnerable adults.
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I second the recommendations to contact municipal, county, state and/or federal organizations as a part of the services they provide.   I'm not familiar with the services your sister might receive, but if she has a specific social worker or counselor (others here might know) I would try to find that person.

As to bathing, can your sister use the no-rinse products?  If so, you might do an online search and find out which companies will deliver to their residence.   No rinse  shower and soap products are really easy to use, and safer than attempting bathing.

I believe that Walgreen still carries them and does home delivery, but I've found their no rinse products are more expensive than those I find at a local chain store.

A few of the brands drug stores carry:

https://www.saveritemedical.com/products/no-rinse-shampoo-and-body-wash-7-1-oz-1?variant=44553609996&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI-Or_ovnG7gIVBYmGCh1m8QkqEAQYBSABEgKOL_D_BwE

https://www.cvs.com/shop/cvs-health-foaming-rinseless-shampoo-body-wash-prodid-879471?skuid=879471

Cera-Ve is the brand I've seen used most frequently in hospitals and rehab centers, but it is more expensive (or just search for "cera-ve no rinse products):

https://www.google.com/search?source=hp&ei=KQoXYOewL8LAsQXTsK6oCQ&q=cera-ve+no+rinse+products&oq=cera-ve+no+rinse+products&gs_lcp=CgZwc3ktYWIQAzIFCAAQzQI6BQgAELEDOgsILhCxAxDHARCjAjoICAAQsQMQgwE6CAguEMcBEKMCOggILhCxAxCDAToCCAA6CwguELEDEIMBEJMCOgIILjoOCC4QsQMQgwEQxwEQrwE6BQguELEDOggILhDHARCvAToHCAAQsQMQCjoKCAAQsQMQgwEQCjoECAAQCjoECAAQDToGCAAQDRAKOgYIABANEB46CAgAEA0QBRAeOgoIABANEAUQChAeOgUIABCGAzoFCCEQqwI6CgghEAoQoAEQiwM6CAghEKsCEIsDOgcIIRAKEKABUK8GWMcjYOMkaABwAHgAgAGhAYgByxKSAQQyMC41mAEAoAEBqgEHZ3dzLXdpergBAg&sclient=psy-ab&ved=0ahUKEwin6c_2-MbuAhVCYKwKHVOYC5UQ4dUDCAw&uact=5#spf=1612122671433


You might also contact the local agencies re the availability of Meals on Wheels.  If it's not available, and no other option is available, check online to find a company that can either deliver frozen or canned meals.   They're not as good as fresh food, but they are food.

I wish you success (and a bit of luck) in finding solutions for your family.  This must be so frustrating to be so far away and not be able to step in and help.
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