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In This Episode:
Dr. K shares the coronavirus (COVID19) information and recommendations she presented on 3/12/20 to members of the Helping Older Parents Membership, plus answers to their questions about preparing themselves and protecting their aging parents. She covers:
- What’s most important to know about the coronavirus situation right now
- The current effort to “flatten the curve” and what that might mean in terms of how long precautions are necessary
- Issues that are likely to come for frail older adults
- How to think through care and housing options, and contingency planning
- The importance of reviewing what matters most to your older parent
- Why now is an important time to review advance care planning and preferences regarding critical care
- What to know about POLST and similar advance care planning documents
- Answers to member questions
Related episode:
089 – Giving Yourself (And Your Family) a Gift on National Healthcare Decisions Day
Related Resources:
- AARP Coronavirus Town Hall Transcript
- Washington Nursing Home Outbreak (Business Insider)
- CDC: COVID19 info
- Flattening the Coronavirus Curve (NY Times)
- POLST: Resources & Tips on Avoiding Pitfalls
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Kathy says
Thank you for making this podcast available for all to hear in such a timely manner. I had so many of the same concerns/situations that were brought up by those who posted questions.
Nicole Didyk, MD says
I’m so glad you enjoyed the podcast! It is very timely and full of great information. Thanks for listening and stay tuned for more.
ranu says
overlong long…suhc info should b egiven in a 10 min capsule taht’s it…
Nicole Didyk, MD says
Thanks for the feedback on behalf of Dr. Kernisan. Coronavirus is so new, and there is so much data to cover, that was probably part of why the podcast ran a bit longer than usual. Many seem to feel the more information the better!
If you are looking for a shorter segment, I have a brief video on YouTube, which you can watch here.
Margareta J Duncan says
I am a 90 years old retired Family Physician living in a retirement community. We have Assisted Living and a Memory Unit, but I live in Independent Living. I enjoyed your program very much and thought you did a great job addressing the current concerns regarding the Corvid-19 Pandemic. By the way, our community has closed our dining room and all our activities to distance our personal contacts. Our meals are being delivered to our apartments.
Thank you are your excellent programs. Margareta J. Duncan, M.D.
Nicole Didyk, MD says
Thanks for listening on behalf of Dr. Kernisan, and I hope things are back to normal at your retirement community soon.
Anita Osborn says
I wish all of your podcasts could also be sent, via email, so they could be read. I do not like podcasts. But,I have enjoyed your information. I am 73 with four underlying conditions, so I am reading everything I can about the C-19 virus!
Nicole Didyk, MD says
Hi Anita and thanks for the feedback, on behalf of Dr. Kernisan. Podcasts aren’t for everyone, but many people like them because they can listen to them while walking, driving or doing other things.
Stay tuned to the site for a written article about coronavirus very soon!
Ann L. Chandler says
I am 88 yeas old and live in my own home, across the street from my attentive daughter. I try to keep up to date on the current virus information. i.e. I watched President Trump’s news on the Coronavirus this noon. 3/13/2020. I am healthy and expect to recover if I should catch the virus, but at the same time, I realize this is serious and I need to pay attention.
Nicole Didyk, MD says
Hi Ann. I’m so glad you live close to family, and that you consider yourself healthy. I hope you found the podcast helpful and informative!
Alan Foster says
Dear Dr Kernisan
I am very nearly 70 and have high blood pressure which is treated with a cocktail of drugs including Candesartan, an angiotensin receptor blocker.
I understand that it has been suggested that ARBs and Ace Inhibitors may lead to worse illness from COVID 19 because the pills increase amounts of an enzyme the coronavirus uses to infect the body.
Do you have any advice please?
Alan Foster
Nicole Didyk, MD says
Hi Alan. From what I have read, we are developing our understanding of how coronavirus interacts with human cells. Laboratory investigations have suggested that the type of coronavirus that causes severe respiratory illness binds to Angiotensin-Converting-Enzyme 2 receptors when it enters a cell.
I am not sure how being on a medication that interferes with Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) or blocks angiotensin receptors (ARB) can affect this phenomenon, but it does seem that those with hypertension had a higher mortality rate from coronavirus. Whether that’s because of the hypertension or because of the medications used to treat it is unclear.
As of today, we don’t have enough information to recommend for or against changing a person’s blood pressure medications because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Edited to add: Hi again, Alan. Just saw that the European Society of Cardiology Council on Hypertension has just put out a statement that “patients should continue treatment with their usual anti-hypertensive therapy”, because as I mentioned, we don’t have the science to recommend otherwise right now.
Barney Feinstein says
Are you at any higher risk visiting your asymptomatic pre-school grandchildren than any other members of the public?
Nicole Didyk, MD says
I’m not sure if you are asking about your risk of getting exposed to coronavirus, or if you are at risk of transmitting the virus to your grandchildren?
Information about this virus is changing very rapidly, but based on what I know today, it seems like children are not high risk individuals when it comes to transmitting coronavirus to others, unless they have 1) Been travelling out of the country recently, or 2) Been in contact with a person with coronavirus, 3) Symptoms like fever, cough and trouble breathing.
Same thing for you, if you do not fall into one of those three categories, you are probably not at high risk of transmitting coronavirus to your grandkids.
Nonetheless, remember that “social distancing” is highly recommended for all of us right now. If you need to travel a long way to see your grandchildren, this is something you should put off until the situation with coronavirus has settled down.