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I work as a caregiver and my question is can he get up and get to the restroom on his own ? He might need a bedside commode or chucks for the bed. Amazon sells both.
I'm guessing he can't prepare meals...there are delivery services for food and if money is an issue there are meals on wheels.
If he is a church going man, he might speak to his church and see if there is any help he can get from them.
If he can't do the grocery shopping, there are services for delivery of that also.
My heart goes out to him. I've wondered this same question. I'm asthmatic and worried about getting this myself.
He was cleared to go home (tested negative) but is still extremely debilitated. Has no one to look in on him. I don't know him personally. Talked to someone about him who was asking. Many people here have some good ideas. Nursing home. I never thought of that. Will pass along suggestions.
I'm surprised the hospital released your friend to go home instead of sending him to rehab.
I don't know why they didn't send him to rehab. The hospital's responsibility these days of overcrowding ends when a patient is off the ventilator and recovering. Far as I know he only has SS and Medicare. I don't know his savings/housing situation, rent/own. If he owns he'll have to let the state put a lien on it to collect their money after he's gone. This long hauler situation will be a real problem going forward for millions of people. People aren't aware how widespread these lingering symptoms are even in mild cases where there was no hospitalization. Some are mild but some are devastating. It's unknown now whether most or all of them will clear up in a matter of months or even years. A large number have lung, heart, kidney and brain damage that is readily seen on CT scans. I've been following one of these LH websites and the stories are tragic. Here's a typical one of so many hundreds I've read so far. The number of people suffering like this is astonishing and presents a whole new class of disability that governments may have to be paying out benefits and health aid for:
I had Covid 10 28-11/11. I had an intense headache, body aches, fever, chills, lost sense of taste and smell through that time. I get headache, dizzy, unable to hold myself upright and slur speech. I've had about 8 or more episodes since then. I stay dizzy 70% of day and have been hospitalized for chest pains, arrhythmia. Dizziness is still there, heartrarte still fluctuates, headache is present most days. I twitch more (small muscles), and get nauseous because of dizziness. Neurologist thinks may be seizure related. I resigned my teaching job due to my health.
In some communities, neighbors can be very helpful. If you live in a "neighborly" neighborhood, they could have a few different neighbors each check in on the person one day a week. Mr. Jones visits every Monday, Mrs. Smith comes for an hour on Tuesday, Mrs. Smith's high-school-senior daughter comes on Saturdays, etc. etc. That way no one will feel "burdened" and the whole community gets to come together to help someone in need.
They can make up a grocery list, maybe that high school kid could work on some self-sufficiency skills by learning how to cook nutritious meals and portion-control them in containers for the freezer. That way the person who's still recovering can just pop one container in the microwave for 2 minutes, take the lid off the single-serve salad container and dump a tablespoon of dressing on top of it, and his lunch is now ready.
One of our neighbors needed help while his wife was in the hospital for a few months. His daughter made a -month's- worth of food and portion controlled it all, in color-coordinated containers. Blue = entree, red = side, yellow = veggie, clear = dessert. One of each = dinner, and only the blue and red had to be nuked. Yellow and clear were ready to eat.
Can have someone check his meds and put them in med cases that have the days imprinted on them. Can even set his alarm clock for him on his ipad or laptop or cellphone, to remind him when it's time to take a dose.
Lots of things neighbors can do, you just have to reach out to them.
I got the flu once stacked on top of sinus infection and food poisoning. I literally had to crawl to the bathroom. I don't even remember taking care of my kids. I was a single mom. When I left the doctor's office I asked another patient to watch me in case I didn't make it to my car he could call someone to help me.
It's tough, for sure.
This guy must not have insurance or he'd still be in the hospital.
He was cleared to go home (tested negative) but is still extremely debilitated. Has no one to look in on him. I don't know him personally. Talked to someone about him who was asking. Many people here have some good ideas. Nursing home. I never thought of that. Will pass along suggestions.
Many people go to rehab after Covid when they are that debilitated, usually in a nursing home. Does he have a doctor? Is he on Medcare or does he have insurance? It's possible his insurer declined rehab but he should at least have home care. His doctor needs to follow up.
I don't know why they didn't send him to rehab. The hospital's responsibility these days of overcrowding ends when a patient is off the ventilator and recovering. Far as I know he only has SS and Medicare. I don't know his savings/housing situation, rent/own. If he owns he'll have to let the state put a lien on it to collect their money after he's gone. This long hauler situation will be a real problem going forward for millions of people. People aren't aware how widespread these lingering symptoms are even in mild cases where there was no hospitalization. Some are mild but some are devastating. It's unknown now whether most or all of them will clear up in a matter of months or even years. A large number have lung, heart, kidney and brain damage that is readily seen on CT scans. I've been following one of these LH websites and the stories are tragic. Here's a typical one of so many hundreds I've read so far. The number of people suffering like this is astonishing and presents a whole new class of disability that governments may have to be paying out benefits and health aid for:
I had Covid 10 28-11/11. I had an intense headache, body aches, fever, chills, lost sense of taste and smell through that time. I get headache, dizzy, unable to hold myself upright and slur speech. I've had about 8 or more episodes since then. I stay dizzy 70% of day and have been hospitalized for chest pains, arrhythmia. Dizziness is still there, heartrarte still fluctuates, headache is present most days. I twitch more (small muscles), and get nauseous because of dizziness. Neurologist thinks may be seizure related. I resigned my teaching job due to my health.
Medicare pays for rehab he wouldn't lose his house if he was there on a temporary basis. He can still be taken to rehab but his doctor needs to tell them he needs it.
I mean what if they are really all alone in this world. No spouse, no children, no relatives nearby that they are close to and no friends? If they are very sick confined to bed as a long hauler and have already been to the hospital and discharged and they cannot take care of themselves post-hospitalization what do they do?
As I said in my rep comment, they go into a nursing home via a social worker and hopefully when they die someone will bury them but they could lay unclaimed and buried in a potters field. It's very sad.
Normally a social worker starts the process then files a case in the court to have someone appointed to watch out for his needs, they'll also look into whether he has any type of family. They'll find out if he owns or rents the house. Unfortunately, he slipped through the system when they discharged him before he should have been.
I didn't know this was an actual person near you. Do you know his age? I assume he's over 65 since he's probably got Medicare.
Are neighbors willing to help him? Since a few of you are concerned, someone should go knock on his door to say a bunch of you want to help him with whatever he needs.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Katyroadpink
His local Area Agency on Aging or the Adult Protective Services might also know where he can get help locally.
Agree, someone should make the phone call to get a social worker over there to assess his situation, set up meals on wheels or the social worker can help get him into some sort of rehab or into a nursing home. Then the state can eventually take over to where they sell his house, use that to pay for nursing home and then they apply for medicaid if needed.
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