The human body works in amazing ways to fight off germs and heal itself after an injury or illness. However, as we age, the immune system weakens.
In older adults, the body makes fewer immune cells, and even these will work less effectively. This can draw out the healing process, often making interventions necessary.
COVID-19 has caused a wide range of complications, especially in senior citizens. With that in mind, we have developed a Post-COVID rehab care program to help senior citizens recover after they have gotten over this dangerous disease.
COVID Symptoms
Typically, illnesses present a set of unique characteristics. COVID-19 shows up differently in different people, making it difficult to know exactly what kind of care you will need to get better.
Possible COVID symptoms include:
- Fatigue
- Cough
- Fever and chills
- Sore throat
- Cough
- Body aches
- Headache
- Rash
- Nausea and vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Loss of smell and taste
Depending on the severity of these symptoms, some people may find recovering from the illness very difficult. Older adults may require post-COVID rehabilitation. Let’s discuss how it works.
Strength Building
In the United States, a senior citizen falls every second. This puts them at risk for serious injury and even death.
Illnesses increase the likelihood of falls. While recovering from an illness like COVID, the fatigue can linger, and the body may feel extremely weak. This makes falls even more likely.
During COVID recovery, rehabilitation places focus on building back strength through physical therapy. This ensures that the patient moves around daily in a safe, monitored setting that does not increase the risk of them falling.
Mobility
Getting patients up and moving after a serious illness does more than build back strength. It also reduces the risk of serious complications.
If an older adult lays around in bed, especially with congestion, it can settle into the lungs. This could lead to pneumonia.
Prolonged bed rest may also cause fluid to build up in the body, rather than moving everything out. This means the heart and kidneys work harder to do their job.
Cognitive Health
As we age, our brains especially need stimulation to remain sharp. Prolonged illnesses can lead to a slow decline in cognitive ability that does not get noticed until things get bad.
During recovery, rehabilitation can help prevent memory loss and other types of mental decline by a therapist simply working through little brain exercises. This can make a major difference in battling against the onset of certain types of dementia.
Infection Prevention
When recovering from an illness, the body needs time to build back strength and immunity. This can leave an already vulnerable population at especially high risk of developing another illness.
Getting seen by a medical professional regularly after a COVID infection means getting monitored for early signs of any other illness starting. This means that they could catch another infection early and treat it quickly.
Opt for Post-Covid Rehab Care
When a senior citizen develops a COVID-19 infection, recovery can take time and require extra care. Rehab care during COVID recovery can help decrease the time it takes to heal and prevent secondary complications to cognitive and physical health.
We offer compassion and quality care. Contact us to discuss your senior care needs.
