The unprecedented effects of Covid-19 have shined a light on the pros and cons of healthcare options for the population of aging individuals in our country. For the majority of us, social distancing means staying six-feet apart and obeying mask mandates, but to the elderly in nursing homes and assisted living facilities, it means zero visitors, zero hugs from loved ones, and zero physical interaction with the outside world. The viral pleas for pen pals and sentimental visits from family members separated by the glass are more reminiscent of inmates in penitentiaries than aging adults in healthcare facilities.

While these strict precautions are for their protection and well-being, the quality of life aging adults are experiencing in this global pandemic raises the inevitable question: Isn’t there a better way?

Healthcare at Home

The better option for senior healthcare is healthcare at home. Aging in place allows seniors to safely enjoy their own home without sacrificing their quality of healthcare. The same services offered in high-priced nursing homes and assisted living facilities can be offered at home with the added convenience of familiarity and comfort. Another top benefit of aging in place is the overall safety of the environment. Infections and illnesses ran rampant throughout senior facilities even before Covid-19 due to the dense population of individuals with compromised immune systems. Home healthcare removes the dense population and thereby lowers the risk of contracting a harmful sickness. Instead of being locked inside a facility weathering the Covid-19 storm (or any other illness for that matter), seniors receiving healthcare at home have the freedom to socially distance in their own home regardless of Covid-19, flu season, or any other contagions. 

The Better Way: Integrity Care and Staffing

Integrity Care and Staffing is a senior healthcare agency providing in-home care in Seattle, Renton, Gig Harbor, Kenmore, Bellevue, and Olympia. Since 2010, Integrity Care and Staffing have been dedicated to providing quality in-home care to the Puget Sound area. Their offered services range from care management and travel assistance to memory care and private aides. Integrity Care and Staffing’s long list of provided services allow each client to choose the healthcare that best fits their unique needs. 

For more information, visit https://integritycareandstaffing.com/

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I feel that the world has changed all of a sudden due to the COVID-19 pandemic. There’s a social stigma that’s going around as the WHO and government urge everyone to practice social distancing and quarantine to combat the virus. Both as a protection and a mistrust of those who might possibly be afflicted with COVID-19. And with too many uncertainties lurking around, stress and anxiety are an all-time high. Elevated by the fact that we cannot even hug or be with the people we care and love.

I’ve seen two sets of people in this crisis: those who stay confined in their houses having everything they need versus those who struggle to stay afloat in these trying times. And it made me think about how we are threading the same water but not on the same boat. And those aged 60 or older adults are riding on a weak boat that can topple down faster than a Titanic.

The truth hurts that in this time of crisis when we need companionship the most, the same companionship could put us in danger. Our elders, being one of the high-risk populace, had to exercise extra precaution in exposing themselves to crowds and other people who might wreak havoc to their health. However, we also forget the fact that most of the illnesses our elders get are driven by depression and anxiety. The social distancing protocol had not only limited their social interaction but the overall connection to the outside world. Being social humans as we are, lack of connection leads to self-isolation. And self-isolation is a mental health issue that triggers and heightens the risk of contracting the chronic disease and psychiatric disorders. Both could lead to premature death.

The digital world has made it possible for our elders to survive these hard times. It makes it possible for us to interact with our loved ones and friends. Also, it offers entertainment and online classes to alleviate boredom and anxiety. However, nothing beats personal interaction. And that’s when institutions such as Integrity Care and Staffing, located in Seattle, WA, makes a difference. Providing home care services for elderly adults to ensure their health is taken care of and accompanied during these uncertain times. 

Researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle, WA are part of an accelerated coronavirus vaccine testing program. The goal is to test between 100,000 and 150,000 people in this mass testing program. It is part of the White House’s national “Operation Warp Speed” to acquire a highly or moderately effective coronavirus vaccine within 12 months to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. The peak of COVID-19 patients in Washington, D.C. is not yet reached. The state will likely enroll many people to the tests when a coronavirus vaccine is ready for mass testing. 

In the meantime local healthcare organizations in Seattle, WA are doing everything within their power to keep the coronavirus at bay. Reopening rules are updated frequently and local healthcare organizations have to adjust regularly to provide safe and high-quality care while waiting for a coronavirus vaccine. It is especially important for home health care agencies to have outstanding hygiene and protective measures in place because of the nature of their work. Health care workers are going from home to home to provide essential care to patients, while they have to prevent the spread of the virus from one house to another. 

Integrity Care and Staffing is a home health care agency in Seatle, WA that pulls out all the stops every day to do exactly that. Highly protective measures are in place to protect both their employees and patients alike. It is a real challenge to keep everyone optimally protected while keeping the same high standards of home care for their patients. Although it is though, Integrity Care and Staffing is up for the task and will keep its guard up as long as needed. It gives me peace of mind to see the effort and care they take for their employees and patients during these unprecedented times. I hope the researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle, WA will fabricate an effective coronavirus vaccine as soon as possible. In the meantime, your colleagues from local home health care agencies like Integrity Care and Staffing have your back.

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“Do get out if you need to, but don’t plan on spending a day in the park,” said Mayor Jenny Durkan at a conference Thursday.

As part of the Emerald City’s push to return to a sense of normalcy, Washington state and city officials have loosened restrictions aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19. 

And as part of Gov. Jay Inslee‘s plan to edge towards the “new normal,” parks and recreational facilities across the city are reopening. 

While this is great news for active Seattleites such as myself, the best course of action is to take local guidelines seriously. 

I and many others hope to avoid a “second wave” of infections that might see restrictions retightened. 

Pandemic-inspired restrictions have been particularly limiting on the business sector. Boeing’s Puget Sound facility-one of the mainstays of the industry along the Pacific Northwest-was shuttered for weeks after the death of an employee due to the virus. 

As a community, it’s time to pull together and show the world what we are made of. United, we can beat this. 

Of course, it’s not all doom and gloom. Over the last few months, I’ve found exercise to be an excellent means to combat the sense of isolation and loneliness that has come about living under veritable house arrest. 

Myself and several friends are particularly excited to get out to Gas Works Park for a cycle over the upcoming weekend, but we won’t be sticking around for a barbecue. 

Though protests against the stay-at-home measures have garnered considerable support across the United States, it’s a good time to remember the impact this outbreak has had (and will continue to have over the coming months) on the healthcare system, allied health professional, and front-line essential services employees. 

You might well know someone who works in Seattle’s health sector. I count several family members working at Virginia Mason Hospital and Kindred (in First Hill), and I like to think that each of us is doing our best to ease the burden on these folks. 

Integrity Care and Staffing is one such company. Providing home health care services, they have assisted Seattle in the city’s fight against the disease. Let’s pull together and think of the people putting their lives at risk. 

Do the right thing, and listen to official guidelines. Though it’s undoubtedly great news that parks are back in business, let’s use them for exercise and not gatherings. Enjoy them responsibly, and remember to stay six feet apart at all times.

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She wants to create her own small niche in history. Her name is Jennifer Haller, and she just participated in a Covid 19 vaccine trial conducted by Moderna Incorporated, a biotech company in the state of Massachusetts.

She felt the need to be part of something that has been shaking the very fabric of our society, no matter how small her role is. The vaccine trials of Moderna is just one of the 115 simultaneous experiments in the world for the race to create a Covid 19 vaccine. Jennifer is based in New York City which is still nauseous from its ongoing traumatic experience with this horrible virus, and she had seen the sad plight of both colleagues and strangers who have contracted this sickness.

Jennifer’s big heart especially goes out to the undocumented workers, who in one way or another, are frontliners in the health industry, and have been the new soldiers of today, battling this invisible enemy. Many of them are minimum wage earners, living from paycheck to paycheck. Trying to sustain a decent standard of living for their families.

To celebrate her recent birthday, Jennifer started a fundraiser on Facebook for these noble but unrecognized minimum wage earners so that they will feel that their efforts are also being appreciated.

Jennifer is based in NYC but is originally a Seattle girl. She is proud of her native city because Covid 19 cases there have been leveling off due to the continuous cooperation between local authorities and the city folks.

Talking about excellent home care and creation of awareness about the pandemic in Seattle, Integrity Care and Staffing Home Health Care Agency have been doing a great job in providing local home care needs and at the same time informing their patients and other people about the precautions and sacrifices they need to do so that Covid 19 won’t make Seattle and surrounding areas into ghost towns.

People and institutions like Integrity Care and Staffing Home Health Care Agency have been doing their share all over the nation in creating awareness for proper sanitation and disinfection in our homes and buildings. And since the United States is a country where people love hugging each other, Integrity Care and Staffing and other groups and individuals have been taking the lead in communicating this isn’t the case anymore, because social distancing is the “new norm” now to keep our beloved country safe. 

They should be gentle in relaying this disruptive change in social norms because some people are not so receptive to abrupt alterations in their behavior. 

The results of Jennifer’s vaccine trials have not yet been out, but she is hopeful, like other trial volunteers, that our future in our beloved United States is still a beautiful one. And Integrity Care and Staffing Home Health Care Agency in Seattle is proving to be a bright light in that future too.

Providing the best home care services to Seattle’s elderly community is a huge responsibility. And everyone from the owners at Integrity Care and Staffing, Seattle, Washington to each caregiver is worried about not allowing the coronavirus to spread. So I was really excited to learn from Chau that a local Seattle company, HDT BioCorp is expected to have a vaccine moving to clinical trials in a few weeks.

Every homecare service and caregiver in Seattle and the USA should be concerned, and not just Seattle, WA Integrity Care and Staffing. If the coronavirus pandemic comes it will be the elderly who are devastated by this disease. And the threat is real.

One Kirkland Washington nursing home has already reported dozens of possible coronavirus cases. Dozens of residents and staff at Life Care Center of Kirkland, a nursing and rehab facility, are reporting symptoms that might suggest coronavirus, according to a statement from King County Public Health. There are also two confirmed cases associated with the nursing facility. When a representative from Integrity Care and Staffing visited Life Care Center of Kirkland he found a sign saying “No Visitors: We Are Having Respiratory Outbreak.”

Chau Nguyen, the owner of Integrity Care and Staffing from Seattle, WA made some calls and confirmed that 27/108 residents and 25/180 caregiver staff reported symptoms suggesting the coronavirus is in greater Seattle, Washington and Puget Sound area.

Alzheimer’s disease is a degenerative, progressive brain condition characterized by declines in cognitive functioning such as memory, critical thinking skills, and the ability to perform tasks. Because memory loss is a normal effect of aging, it’s often easy to mistake early signs of Alzheimer’s for forgetfulness.

What is the FAST Scale?

A scale that describes the decline of an Alzheimer’s patient’s cognitive functioning is called the Functional Assessment Staging (FAST) scale. Dr. Barry Reisberg, director of the Zachary and Elizabeth M. Fisher Alzheimer’s Disease Education and Research Program at New York University Langone Health, developed the concept.

The FAST scale describes seven stages of Alzheimer’s disease. The following is the characteristics of each stage:

Stage 1

No impairment. At this stage there is no memory problem or any symptoms present.

Stage 2

Very mild decline. A person shows the usual mild mental decline of old age. They have an awareness of this change. They forget names or occasionally misplace objects like car keys.

Stage 3

Mild decline. Close friends and family members can notice a cognitive decline. Difficulty concentrating and carrying conversations are another common progression.

Stage 4

Moderate decline. At this stage, a person’s Alzheimer’s disease may become more noticeable. Loved ones may note them losing interest in work and social situations, forgetting people they’ve recently met, or being disorganized in a way that is uncharacteristic to them. They also have a decreased ability to perform common tasks like managing finances or paying bills.

Stage 5

Moderate severe decline. A person at this stage won’t be able to function independently and needs a caregiver to some extent. They remember personal histories such as childhood and youth years. Their short-term memory is very limited-to-none, and they may repeat the same question more than once within minutes.

Stage 6

Severe decline. A person at this stage needs constant supervision and requires professional care. Confusion or unawareness of their environment and surroundings is common. They will also show major gaps in memory and experience significant cognitive decline. They might need help with most, if not all, activities of daily living such as dressing, toileting, and showering. Some patients may also wander because of their past memory of where they used to live.

Stage 7

Very severe decline. The disease is a terminal illness. At this stage, a person is nearing death. They are not able to communicate verbally and lose their physical abilities such as swallowing.

Who can help me or my loved one at home?

According to the Alzheimer’s association, approximately 5 million Americans are living with the disease currently, and it is expected to grow to 12 million by the year 2030.

Integrity Care and Staffing provides professional and caring caregivers to keep your loved one comfortable at home.

Contact us today to learn about the assistance we provide.