CAREGIVING COVID IN 2021 LIKE A CAREGIVER WOULD DO

Caregiving covid as only a caregiver can do? Only a caregiver can figure this one out.

If it takes one to know one, I’m here to serve. I got my caregiver merit badge and five stripes for consecutive years with my Parkinson’s afflicted father-in-law.

I believe my caregiver tactics offer an angle into dealing with covid.

Read this to find out how:

The old man’s Parkinson’s was real

He was staged out on maximum meds to keep from falling apart more than he had. Think zombie-ish.

His life changed when I started coaching him up, trained him up. I was the Mick, he was Rocky; I was Bundini Brown, he was Muhammad Ali.

We role played where he was the kick-ass fighter and I was the corner-man. It made for a better day all round when he had to fight Apollo Creed, or Smoking Joe Frazier.

His favorite champion was Joe Louis to my Max Schmeling in their rematch.

That was a tool I used.

Hit that link for an HD run-up to the big fight.

When we got into it, I started with medicinal shit-talk in a German accent that veered into Arnold Schwarzenegger territory:

“Ya, you caun’t hit what you caun’t see, caun you? I knocked you out last time, I knock you out this time. You’ll see, ya you weel. Just wait and you see.”

He sat in his blue lift-chair, me in a kitchen chair in front, and we raised our hands and made fists. Joe needed a little help and Max showed the proper stance, then got his clock cleaned.

Joe Louis, and my old dad, won every time and we partied.

Covid-19 Is Real Too

As a disease, covid-19 is everywhere and nowhere.

Unlike Parkinson’s telltale tremor and long roll-out before it kills you, or something related kills you like choking because the swallowing muscles don’t work, covid is more covert.

“It’s just a cough, don’t be a pussy.” Or, “Fever? You call that a fever? She-yit.”

You’ve heard about the older husband and wife who did everything right?

They refrained from hosting the big, traditional family gatherings they were used to. They stuck to phone calls and video conferences with family even though they didn’t live far away. But a simple family visit to get a haircut claimed both of their lives.

Covid is more real when mom and dad up and die? Do we agree? Or a married couple friend, or married couple neighbors? I say married couple because I’m part of one.

Does a wife or husband have to die from covid to make it real enough? A kid?

Pick one when you listen to people debate science, debate masks, and the big debate on mask science.

‘My mom and dad didn’t die, so who gives a rat’s ass,’ is the hidden message.

The crying comes later.

Caregiving Covid In 2021

The gentle covid caregiver, and whether you like it or not we’re all freaking covid caregivers, stays alert for changes in the virus.

Like I did with Parkinson’s, look at the big picture first. The Parkinson’s picture included likelihood of death from falling, or choking.

What is the likelihood of covid death? Look at age and underlying conditions, sure, but remember to check local hot spots of infection.

Drill down to the basics:

Who do you see?

Where do you go?

Plan on seeing fewer people and going fewer places, pod-girl.

Tell your parents to put a hold on birthday parties for their big 5-Oh or 6-Oh, your 2-Oh or 3-Oh, unless they want to be KO’d.

Tell them you’re not visiting because you don’t want to be the one who kills them. It goes like this:

“Ma, Dad, I’m not a Menendez brother and I’m not turning into one.”

They’ll understand. All you’re doing is caregiving covid, you caregiver, you.

Mask. Hands. Distance.

We like science, right? The Mayo Clinic likes science, so we like the Mayo Clinic’s Oregon covid hot spot map.

Celebrate the holidays Mayo Clinic Caregiving Covid Style

The safest way to celebrate the holiday season is to plan for virtual events or limit in-person festivities to those in your household.

If you’re considering hosting or attending an event with loved ones or friends who don’t live with you, understand the risk involved and get tips for gathering safely. You may wish to create a social bubble.

Also, be sure to check out our coronavirus holiday travel advice and holiday shopping do’s and don’ts during COVID-19.