Here are the key tips for preparing older adults and their caregivers for a coronavirus outbreak in your community, adapted from the CDC’s list of tips for older adults:

Know the symptoms

• If you have symptoms of COVID-19, including fever, cough, and trouble breathing, call your doctor first.
• Some doctors offer telephonic and telehealth consultations to avoid the possibility of spreading the virus to other patients and to the medical personnel in the office.
• Not everyone infected with the virus needs hospitalization. You may be able to recover in your own home. Follow your doctor’s instructions and CDC guidelines on how to care for yourself at home.

Stay prepared

• Have a COVID-19 plan for yourself and create one for your loved ones. Check them out.
• Make a list of your daily medications (in English) and the time of day you take them. That way, a caregiver can help you if you get sick.
• Get a 30-day supply of your prescription drugs.
• Stock up on tissues and over-the-counter medications for fever, cough, and other symptoms that may appear.
• Have enough food and household products to make you comfortable staying home for a few weeks. Make sure you have enough supplies.
• Create an emergency contact list.
• If you have a caregiver, make sure you have a backup plan in case your caregiver gets sick.
• If you are a caregiver, monitor the food, supplies, and medical needs (such as oxygen, dialysis, and wound care) of the person in your care. And have a backup plan.

Stay home, identify a friend as a contact

• Avoid sick people and crowds of people.
• Postpone travel, including air travel, and avoid cruises.
• Pay attention to local news and follow the recommendations of local health authorities.
• Stay in touch with others, whether by phone, email, or video calls.
• You may need to ask for help from friends, family, neighbors, or community health workers, especially if you get sick.
• Find a friend who will contact you often to see how you are doing, help you with preparations and stocking up on supplies, and help take care of yourself if necessary.

Practice healthy habits

• When coughing or sneezing, cover yourself with a tissue or cough or sneeze into the crease of the arm, then wash your hands.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth without washing your hands.
• Clean your hands often. Wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds.
• If you don’t have soap and water, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
• Cleans and sanitizes surfaces and things you touch frequently. This includes tables, chairs, doorknobs, light switches, handrails, countertops, elevator buttons, remote controls, shared electronic devices, shared exercise equipment, handles, desks, telephones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, sinks, and sinks.

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