Caring for a covid positive patient with Alzheimer’s

[Toocrazy!!]

So, my mom tested positive 7 days ago. She hasn’t really had any noticeable symptoms other than fatigue. But with Alzheimer’s it’s kind of hard to get a good read. But never had a fever and oxygen Levels were always good. She tested negative 14 days ago. 
 
So the situation is that I now need to be the caregiver starting Thursday. I don’t think I can get her to consistently mask in her own house. She will also not stay in her bedroom. It’s a very large house but to get from her room to the tv area, she will walk through a good bit. 
with Alzheimer’s I won’t be able to get her to stay in her bedroom. 
She gets cold, so opening windows is limited, but I can in the areas she’s not in regularly. 
I have a happy mask, cloth masks, three ply disposable masks. I wear glasses. But what other precautions can I take that won’t disturb her too much? 
And how contagious do you think she is at this point? 
I would sleep on a separate floor of the house, and can leave my window open. She would never be in my bedroom. 

[prairiewindmomma]

HEPA filters in the room she is in

[catz]

Can you order an air purifier now?  I would try to crack windows anyway and have her bundle up.  I would try to stay away and not speak to her within 6+ feet as much as possible.  I hope she stays asymptomatic and is not contagious soon!  You may be almost in the clear is she was positive 7 days ago now?  

[klmama]

Yes, HEPA filters, if you can get them quickly.  I would add double-sided fabric tape to the inside edge of your mask to close any gaps - the kind used for positioning lingerie straps.  You can get it at Joann's and other fabric stores, probably on Amazon.  It shouldn't irritate your skin, or not much.  Maybe a clear face shield, too?  

[Pen]

I would want to have whatever prophylaxis I could in place, such as vitamin D level optimal, zinc, iodine, selenium, etc...   even perhaps to consider ivermectin if u can tolerate it and obtain it

[Toocrazy!!]

Are all HEPA filters the same or should I look for something? I’d have to do a Lowe’s or Home Depot pickup at this point. Amazon would deliver Friday afternoon at this point. 

[regentrude]

According to CDC guidelines, a person with Covid can come out of isolation 10 days after the beginning of symptoms or after their first positive test. So you should be almost there

Quote

Duration of isolation and precautions

• For most persons with COVID-19 illness, isolation and precautions can generally be discontinued 10 days after symptom onset¹ and resolution of fever for at least 24 hours, without the use of fever-reducing medications, and with improvement of other symptoms.
  • A limited number of persons with severe illness may produce replication-competent virus beyond 10 days that may warrant extending duration of isolation and precautions for up to 20 days after symptom onset; consider consultation with infection control experts.
• For persons who never develop symptoms, isolation and other precautions can be discontinued 10 days after the date of their first positive RT-PCR test for SARS-CoV-2 RNA.

 

[prairiewindmomma]

Find one rated for the room size she is in.

Find one you can buy replacement filters for.

Buy HEPA rated—not an ionizer or some of the other things that don’t move air through a HEPA filter.

We like Honeywell and Levoit for manufacturers, fwiw.