I doubt that and I am even convinced, it is necessary and urgent time:
Finally set up "visiting room" separately for old people in nursing homes.
Contains logistics & will of implementation only!
At first those were left alone in many places - now almost inhumane
Received experiences are just terrible.
This is unworthy for any society!
Yes, also here, scientists and clinicians have a responsibility from my point of perspective.
Thanks a lot to remind politics
Elderly are part of mankind!
https://bit.ly/2W8ZEu3
PS
Credit picture: © picture alliance Neue Westfälische Jan 01, 2019
The elderly, the most vulnerable population in the COVID-19 pandemic are not managed appropriately as evidenced by:
Article COVID‐19 Preparedness in Nursing Homes in the Midst of the Pandemic
Article Nursing homes and COVID-19: We can and should do better
Article COVID-19 in nursing homes
Björn L.D.M. Brücher you have put your finger on a pain point of our societies.
The silent scandal of hidden statistics in many countries, including the one I live in UK, second worst hit by Covid19 after the USA:
-Government data which is "polished"
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-the-public#number-of-cases-and-deaths
-Rougher truth by BBC:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-52284281
-even rougher criticism by the Financial Times:
https://www.ft.com/content/40fc8904-febf-4a66-8d1c-ea3e48bbc034
If we look at neighbour country France, at least the government has the transparency needed:
https://www.gouvernement.fr/info-coronavirus/carte-et-donnees
There you can see hospital deaths and EHPAD/EMS which is elderly home. It is sad, but the minimum is there: transparency and honesty.
This is why I have taken the liberty several weeks ago to publish my model for simulating and estimating the risk of propagation in different contexts, starting with elderly care homes. I hold no medical degree, but I have scientific training in developing models:
Preprint Covid19-transmission-model-Elderly Care Home-etc-2020-04-28
This is a population that deserves the best but seems to be getting far from optimum care in this current time.
We owe many of them so much and this is how we are repaying them.
Most of the elders in houses or nursing homes are in quarantine. When they are taking care by own family members, their life is definitely better. In nursing homes, there may not be any change.
I am against sending the elderly to nursing homes, in principle.
Especially, if they have living relatives that can take care of them at home or a separate domicile, but are unwilling, looking for excuses to leave the care responsibility for parents/ grand-parents to strangers, while the reason for doing so (all along) is one and one only - the younger generations do not want the parent body to interfere with their lifestyle and choices.
It is sad.
There is a saying in my country: "A stranger's hand can never scratch your back effectively", meaning that apart from you and your blood relatives (if you are lucky, it seems), no one else would have your best interest at heart.
It is cynical though, when in some media, an idea is sold - elderly people in nursing homes are dead because of the current outbreak, but they were sent to nursing homes, because they were not expected to live for much longer anyway. (???)
So, the outbreak just hurried up the inevitable !!!
Nursing home residents are expendable???
What a strange, and indeed, socially dangerous ideas...
The same idea-people do not even consider that one day, their turn would come too. Lead by example... and all...
Thank you Hermann Gruenwald
- don't you think, that any society worldwide should also be counted on how their elderly people are valued (or not valued) / treated?
Thank you - I did not say, the government should regulate it.
I am not aware if you know the German healthcare system in detail. Here, we also have an elderly care insurance and for sure, any society needs taking care of this in more detail in the future.
But
I may be wrong, but taking care of elderly as well as handicapped people is from my perspective not just a matter of costs.
Reality of who cares for the elderly in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic in the developed countries?
Developed countries give their statistics of average age as one of the the health indicator.
Question is, how many of the elderly aged 80 years or above are having a life in their age, and are able to live independently, given that in some countries 20-50% of the children are born without marriage.
So who would look after such elderly when they become dependent for their activities of daily living? No wonder elderly in the Western countries are easy fodder for COVID-19 pandemic.
No!!! My mother passed away of COVID19 in a nursing home... Alone and abandoned... I could not say good bye to her...
Dear Silvia
I am deeply sorry for your loss
- during these crazy times humans often forget what makes us human - being there for each other - therefore this makes it even much harder
- please accept my condolences
björn
It is really difficult for the nursing home to treat appropriately during this period in managing the pressure due to the increased number of elderly people.