The Good Side Of The Pandemic – How We’ve Learned To Take Better Care Of Ourselves
The coronavirus pandemic has wreaked havoc for many people. However, Pegasus home healthcare specialists in Panorama City and elsewhere have seen a good side to it. They have observed how we’ve learned to take better care of ourselves during a world-wide crisis.
Trying to look at the bright side should not be taken to dismiss the impact of COVID-19 on so many. Everyone at Pegasus extends their deepest sympathy to those who have lost loved ones to the virus. And we have all been affected by the economic devastation wrought by the coronavirus.
Living With The “New” Normal
Many individuals are grieving over the loss of their “normal” life. They can’t go out or visit personally with friends, and they’re dealing with shortages of food or essential supplies. Their access to medical care is hampered.
Even harder to cope with are the restrictions that don’t allow a goodbye when a loved one dies. Survivors are left alone without a sense of closure, forcing them to seek innovative ways to obtain comfort. Psychologists are increasing their training to include bereavement counseling.
As with any loss or traumatic change, the best thing to do is to acknowledge your feelings. That’s the first step in caring for yourself. People are discovering new ways of self-care, enabling them to ultimately adapt in healthy ways to the current situation.
One expert sets what she calls “SMART” goals to help her face each day. These are little things she does that are: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timed. You can set a goal of being fully-dressed by 9:00 a.m. if you’re too depressed to get dressed.
The point is to overcome being mired in what’s been lost. Doing something, anything, helps motivate you to appreciate what you still have. It’s not being a “Pollyanna,” it’s about practicing healthy self-care.
Improving Hygiene Has Long-Term Benefits
Surveys show that one meaningful change is the way in which individuals are attending to personal cleanliness. People are washing their hands more often. They’re also following the 20-second recommendation.
People are improving at all forms of personal hygiene and avoiding contamination. Along with handwashing, they aren’t touching surfaces that haven’t been disinfected. They’re covering their faces all the time, and doing more to protect others if they have to sneeze or cough.
This bodes well for the future, as far more than viruses are transmitted by contamination. And coronavirus isn’t the only virus around. Habits formed now to minimize COVID-19 exposure will potentially reduce your exposure to other contagious diseases like influenza.
Changing How You Receive Healthcare
A significant change in healthcare due to the pandemic is the reliance on telemedicine and telehealth. The two are different, but both enable you to receive medical care electronically. Although neither are appropriate for emergencies, you may be able to avoid office visits for some urgent conditions.
Rather than making an appointment for an in-person visit, you communicate with your healthcare provider electronically. That can take the form of a phone call, a video consultation, or online. You may need to have an app installed on your phone or computer.
For example, you can receive follow-up consultations, discuss new symptoms, or learn treatment options. You do not have to leave home for your medical care. That significantly reduces your exposure to contagion like COVID-19.
Meeting The Challenges
Most individuals have progressed beyond moaning and groaning and complaining about being forced to stay home. They are choosing to engage in activities that nourishes their emotional and physical health. Others are using the time to strengthen their spiritual life.
Part of self-care is knowing what is truly important in your life. Enforced idleness gives you the opportunity to focus on learning what really gives you joy. You may discover greater fulfillment when you change how you think or do things.
Coping with social distancing and other pandemic restrictions is a challenge. But it’s also an opportunity for personal growth. That can improve your relationships with others as well as your physical and mental health.
You have probably regained an appreciation for your friends and family. You may no longer take for granted essential workers like grocery store clerks. You might be taking more time for the little things that you weren’t aware of before.
The shelter-in-place restrictions have had the desired effect of keeping individuals at home. That has the unexpected benefit of reducing pollution. Water and the air are cleaner, which can only improve your health.
Eventually, science will develop a vaccine for the coronavirus. But we, and the world, have been irrevocably changed by COVID-19. Despite the hardships or discomfort, individuals are working with each other to make it a change for the better.
Pegasus is a licensed Home Care Organization and a Joint Commission Accredited Home Health Care organization. Our home healthcare services in Panorama City and our other locations will enable you to take better care of yourself. Our full-range of services can meet your health challenges and help you find the good side of the pandemic.
