How to make your house work for isolation

[harllee]

DH and I (both of us late 60s --DH has an autoimmune disease but I am very healthy) are trying to plan ahead how to make our house work if one of us gets the coronavirus. Last year both of us got a bad case of the flu at the same time--we were unprepared and it was awful. We had to call on friends and neighbors for help. We want to avoid having us both sick at the same time. We are staying home and social isolating but at some point we have to leave the house.

We live in an old downtown neighborhood in a small 100 year old house (it has "character"). The house has 2 bedrooms but only one small bath.

We have stocked up on groceries and other essentials (including toilet paper!). We also have some gloves and a few masks, some disinfectant wipes and alcohol and bleach so we can clean things. We also have a couple of thermometers.

Our plan is that if one of us gets any symptoms or any slight fever we will isolate ourselves from each other. The sick person will stay in the master bedroom and adjacent den with a TV. The healthy person will stay in the guest room and get use of the dining room with TV, small office and kitchen. The fact that there is only one bathroom is of course a problem. Our plan is that the sick person would have exclusive use the the bathroom. We have a portable toilet the healthy person would use (have not figured out how it would be emptied) and the healthy person would use the kitchen sink for bathing, toothbrushing, etc. The healthy person would just have to do sponge baths. The healthy person would prepare food and set it outside the door of the room where the sick person is. If the sick person needs to come out of their rooms for any reason they would wear a mask (but we have a limited supply of masks).

Our goal is to not have both of us sick at the same time--that was awful when we had the flu--we were both to sick to prepare food, etc.

Any suggestions or ideas for us? What are other people doing to prepare? Thanks!

 

[spncity]

You could use disposable plates and bowls. Have some big trash cans set up for trash that doesn't need to be taken out until the person is well (paper trash). Not as sure what to do with trash that might smell (leftover food) other than bag, tie and bag again.

Even though the sick person doesn't feel well, they could have some cleaning items in the bathroom. A bucket for soaking items, clorox wipes.

Stock the sick room with theraflu, instant soup, tea and fixin's and an electric hot water dispenser such as https://www.amazon.com/Sunbeam-Wate...814153&sprefix=hot+water+dispe,aps,376&sr=8-8

These can also be purchased on ebay.

 

[REWahoo]

This might be of assistance:

Those who are infected and don’t require hospitalization are instructed to stay home, but that still leaves families and roommates vulnerable.

So, what can one do to keep loved ones safe while recovering at home from COVID-19? And what can caregivers do to stay healthy?

How to care for your loved ones infected with coronavirus

 

[LOL!]

I was talking on the phone today with my microbiologist friend who lives and works in Manhattan. She said that most people who use masks, gloves, and gowns are not careful and contaminate everything anyways, so that these things don't do them any good.

I worked in direct patient care in a hospital that had some very contagious patients. I don't even think the hospital staff did a good job.

So I applaud your ideas and you should do them, but you should also have in place some friends, family, neighbors, and anybody else already in your speed-dial contacts who can help you. That's what I have done. I have had neighbors help me when I have become incapacitated and I have already checked in with them to see if they need anything and will continue to do so.

 

[youbet]

I've got my camper set up in the driveway, plugged in and ready to go. The plan would be:

1. If I get infected, I live out there.

2. If DW gets infected, I live out there.

DW also mentioned the possibility of having me move out there even if neither one of us becomes infected...........

What a gal! 50th wedding anniversary coming up next month. Hope we both make it!

 

[REWahoo]

I've got my camper set up in the driveway, plugged in and ready to go. The plan would be:

1. If I get infected, I live out there.

2. If DW gets infected, I live out there.

That's our plan as well, although it probably won't work all that well after the end of April. I have a 30 amp hookup which will run only one of the two AC units. It won't be long until our temps down here require the use of both units to keep the RV cool during the heat of the day and since that's not possible we'll have to shift to plan B.

DW also mentioned the possibility of having me move out there even if neither one of us becomes infected...........

My DW (51 years) hasn't mentioned the possibility, but that's probably because she hasn't spoken to me since the second day after we went into isolation.

Numbers isn't the only thing that's hard.

 

[Rianne]

How to care for your loved ones infected with coronavirus

Very helpful article. Seems the air most important to circulate. Not easy in the winter, but maybe air cleaners would help. Constantly walking around with Lysol and spraying?

 

[LOL!]

I've got my camper set up in the driveway, plugged in and ready to go. The plan would be:...

You gotta a camper?!! I got a tent and it ain't plugged into anything.

 

[jollystomper]

We would probably follow the same procedures that we do when one of us has had the flu. Since our home has 3 finished levels, I stay in the basement, DW stays on 2nd floor. She uses master bedroom, I use 1st floor bathroom. Paper plates, cups, and utensils for all meals.

The ill person usually is not hungry but needs to stay hydrated, so water/sports drinks set aside on their level. We can also move a microwave to the basement where packaged food and canned goods are stored that can be prepared with it.

Communicate via cell phone or intercom built into cordless landline phones.

 

[harllee]

OP here-- good ideas and good article, thank you all. I have some disposable plates, cups to use, good idea. Had not thought of the trash so that is something to add to the list. I think I need more gloves but I don't think any are available locally I will look online. The issue we had with the flu is that I think I caught it from DH before he was symptomatic. I am concerned that could be the case with the new virus.

Friends and neighbors did help us when we were sick with the flu. They put food on the porch and then ran! I had trouble getting anyone to come into the house to help me clean for a long time. It took us forever to get our strength back to do anything like cleaning.