Dear Hayek,My daughter was convinced that she had the omicron variant of COVID-19 last month but couldn’t get a test at any of the local pharmacies because they were sold out everywhere. It turns out she had to wait a few days … [Read more...]
Print This PageHow Dangerous Is the Omicron Variant for Seniors?
December 7, 2021 by
Carol and her husband, Scott, are considering visiting their friends in Florida for Christmas. They are thinking about driving to save money on airfare. They were all ready to go but are deciding whether to change their plans … [Read more...]
Print This PageCMS Lifts COVID-19 Nursing Home Visitation Restrictions
November 16, 2021 by
Before the pandemic and even more so during it, social isolation and loneliness have been considered serious health risks for older Americans.Judith Gimbel worries that isolation is killing her mother, Ida, who she hasn’t seen … [Read more...]
Print This PageWhat the US Government is Doing to Keep Nursing Homes COVID-Free
August 24, 2021 by
In late spring of 2021, the 142 nursing homes operated by the Good Samaritan Society hit a milestone that was unthinkable just four months earlier: Zero cases of COVID-19 across the whole company, from 900 at the peak of the … [Read more...]
Print This PageCritter Corner: Why Should I Consider Antibody Testing for COVID-19?
July 30, 2021 by
Dear Oakley,I’m pretty sure I had a mild case of COVID-19 earlier in the year. Do you think I should go and get an antibody test, and if so, why? What is the difference between an antibody and an antigen test? Is antibody … [Read more...]
Print This PageIs COVID Back? A Life-Saving Treatment that Many Seniors Don’t know Exists
July 30, 2021 by
Q. My grandchildren are in school in Fairfax County and they just got a letter stating that they will need to wear masks to school, whether or not they are vaccinated. This, of course, is because of the new CDC mask guidelines, … [Read more...]
Print This PageIs it a Violation of HIPAA to Ask Someone if they’ve Been Vaccinated?
May 25, 2021 by
Josie shared on social media that she and her teenage son and daughter just got vaccinated against COVID-19. In a conversation at the school, Mary shared that she saw Josie’s post and that the three of them got their first dose. … [Read more...]
Print This PageCritter Corner: Navigating the New Social Norms After Getting Vaccinated
May 21, 2021 by
Dear Oakley,I am fully vaccinated and am trying to follow the new norms and get used to not wearing a mask or physically distancing myself. I disliked wearing a mask the past year because my glasses would always fog up, so I’m … [Read more...]
Print This PageCritter Corner: Could the COVID-19 Vaccine Negatively Affect Someone with Parkinson’s or Dementia?
April 9, 2021 by
Dear Angel,Q1. My father is hesitant about getting the COVID-19 vaccine because he has Parkinson’s. My friend is experiencing the same hesitancy with her mother, who is in the early stages of dementia. Have you heard anything … [Read more...]
Print This PageCritter Corner: FEMA will Offer Funeral Assistance for People Who Have Died of COVID-19
March 26, 2021 by
Dear Oakley,My friend’s dad recently died of COVID-19. Funerals are so expensive. Does the government provide any relief to help pay for them? Burr Yinghim --- Dear Burr, I’m so sorry to hear about the loss of your … [Read more...]
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