If you are like me, a senior citizen,  you worry more about your senior health issues during COVID 19.  My health is neither better nor worse, but I worry about what to do if I need to see a doctor.

Senior Health Issues During COV19

Waiting Rooms

My biggest concern is sitting in a waiting room with other sick people even with social distancing in place.  At the beginning of “sheltering”, my wife and I had all our groceries and medications dropped at our front door.  Even then we took precautions to clean every item.  We eased up on that, but still have concerns about waiting rooms at the doctor’s office.  Initially, we cancelled appointments.  Realizing that this COVID 19 is a long term thing, we rescheduled.

Pharmacies

Seniors are considered vulnerable in terms of COV19.  Those of us with health conditions are considered even more at risk.  We visit pharmacies regularly to for prescriptions.  There always seems to be a line and a long waiting time.  We think about this when we need to get medication.  Young or old, everyone waiting has some kind of medical need.  Most of the time, we go with curbside pickup for medications.

Specialty Appointments

As it turns out, we have needed dental and eye appointments during COV19.  These were unscheduled and unanticipated, but related to our senior health issues.  The main difficulty is that these appointments were at offices we did not know well with staff we do not know.  This simply meant that we were unaware of office procedures.  Calling in advance to ask about COVID protocol helped put our minds at ease.

Medical Appointments and Senior Health Issues

Here’s what we do to prepare for medical appointments and trips to the pharmacy.

• We make sure we are feeling good on the day of an appointment.
• If we don’t know an office, we call to find out about their COVID 19 protocols.
• We always have a mask with us and hand sanitizer in the car.
• We social distance.
• If an office seems very crowded, we will often reschedule the appointment.
• We order medications in bulk.
• We use curb side pickup for medications.
• We do teleconferenced appointments when possible.
• We follow office protocols.
• We wash our hands after each appointment even after using hand sanitizer.

There is no need to panic because of senior health issues and COVID 19.  Taking steps to be safe and healthy just makes sense.