Caring for People with Long COVID & Post-COVID Conditions

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Caring for People with Long COVID Post-COVID
Conditions
By - https//www.zdirect.care/
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• Long COVID or Post-COVID Conditions
• DEFINITION
• Post-COVID Conditions
• People infected with the virus that causes
  COVID-19 can experience long-term effects from
  the infection, known as post-COVID conditions
  (PCC) or long COVID.
• Post-COVID conditions go by many names, including
  long COVID, long-haul COVID, post-acute COVID-19,
  and post-acute sequelae of SARS CoV-2 infection
  (PASC) long-term effects of COVID, and chronic
  COVID.

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Caring for People with Post-COVID Conditions

• Dealing with post-COVID or Long COV ID
  conditions or supporting someone with post-COVID
  conditions is challenging. It will be difficult
  to care for yourself or your loved ones,
  especially when there are few or no immediate
  answers or solutions. However, there are ways to
  help relieve some of the added hurdles of caring
  for someone with new and unknown illnesses.

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Children and Adolescents

• Post-COVID conditions are not as common in
  children and adolescents as in adults. However,
  it is possible. For example, children may have
  trouble describing the discomfort they feel or
  the problems they are experiencing.

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• Talk to your doctor if your child has a
  post-COVID condition that impacts their ability
  to attend school, finish homework, or fulfill
  their usual activities. In this case, setting up
  school accommodations will help your child
  succeed. For example, talk with your healthcare
  provider about extra time on tests, scheduled
  rest periods throughout the day, a modified class
  schedule, etc. In addition, school
  administrators, school counselors, and nurses
  work with families and healthcare experts to
  provide education accommodations for children
  with post-COVID conditions, notably those
  encountering thinking, concentrating, or physical
  complications.

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Understand Your Experience

• Everyone copes with long-term COVID differently
  some people manage their illness by understanding
  their condition.
• ?Read about others' experiences with post-COVID.
• ?Reflect on these experiences and compare them to
  yours. They may differ, or they may not.
  Regardless, you are not alone.
• ?Contribute to ongoing scientific research.
• ?Information about enrolling in clinical trials
  related to COVID-19 can be found at
  CombatCovid.hhs.gov and includes opportunities
  for persons with and without COVID-19.
• If you are encountering a post-COVID condition,
  engage in coping strategies that are best for
  your mental and physical health.

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Support People with Post-COVID Conditions

• Those experiencing post-COVID conditions have
  reported being confused, frustrated, and isolated
  from the world. There are different types of
  support for individuals facing these struggles.
  To determine the most helpful steps you can take
  for others, first listen with compassion and ask
  them, "what do you need?"
• CDC's How Right Now campaign provides helpful
  tools for navigating conversations about the
  types of support someone with post-COVID
  conditions may need.

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Listen with compassion

• Dealing with unknown and long-term post-COVID
  conditions is stressful. Therefore, it's
  important to take steps to understand the
  person's experiences will help them feel less
  isolated.
• What to do
• ?Listen, give feedback and validate their
  emotions. What they are going through is very
  real to them.
• ?For more tips on communicating empathetically
  while listening to others' experiences, visit the
  CDC's suggestions for listening with compassion.

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Start a conversation to gain understanding.

• To understand what type of support your loved one
  needs, ask them a broad, open-ended question.
  Then, let them speak, and you listen. Ask
  questions when you have them but dont interrupt,
  and be comfortable with silence. Sometimes people
  need time to gather their thoughts before
  articulating them.
• What to do
• ?When having these conversations, start with an
  open-ended question, like "What's on your mind
  these days?" let them respond, then ask a more
  detailed question.
• ?After listening to their responses, directly
  ask, "what do you need?" or "what can I help
  with?"
• ?Learn more about the CDC's tips on starting
  these types of meaningful conversations.

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Determine how you can help with what they need

• Once you've had a conversation with your loved
  one, you can identify the type of support they'll
  need. This will help you determine your role in
  that support system.
• ?Some people need to share their experiences more
  frequently. In that case, you're a phone call
  away.
• ?Others may need more physical support (help with
  landscaping, running errands).
• Sometimes you may not be able to support a person
  exactly as they need, and it's ok to acknowledge
  that. Just be direct in saying what you can and
  can't do.

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For example

• "I understand you need help getting groceries,
  but unfortunately, I don't have a car, but I can
  help you find someone who does."
• Employers can support employees experiencing
  post-COVID conditions by offering flexible leave
  and work schedule policies and providing access
  to employee assistance programs such as
  counseling.
• If you are a caregiver, remember that maintaining
  healthy behaviors and seeking additional support
  are important in helping other people.