2002-2003
Those were the SARS years, but communications were so different in the early 2000’s! The internet was still quite new – and most hospitals did not yet have websites. Our regional television networks and newspapers reported on the threat of the SARS pandemic and we learned that older people were in the high-risk group. It still sounded remote, but deadly.
I had set up a second office in my hometown four years earlier to create a milieu of “wellness” for my parents’ final years. We would not be counting on this pandemic to “miraculously go away.” We would not call it a hoax – or minimize it – or wait for well over two months before acknowledging it. No thought was given to denying the reality of how serious SARS could become. Denying its reality would not defeat it – that we knew!
We took the threat seriously. A determination emerged – that we would not become vulnerable in any way which could be preventable!
Dad’s third hospitalization with pneumonia during 2002-2003
Sitting at Dad’s bedside, I began observing the frequency of handwashing surrounding Dad’s care, between tasks, and in general. Because the SARS pandemic was still remote from U.S. shores, there were no decrees to the general public to “stay home” or “wash hands.” In fact, it seemed difficult to even find information on steps which should be taken.
Swabbing – a base-line count
Bringing Dad home from the hospital, I placed an order with a California lab for a set of swabs. Swabbing strategic points around the house, the swabs were sent off to the company for cultures. The reports were then shared with our care partners.
We were caring for two vulnerable elders – Mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and Dad was diagnosed with vascular dementia. They were both in their mid-80’s. As care partners, we began preparing for the potential arrival of SARS.
When two agency nurses arrived at our front door – both “explaining” they had colds and it would be up to me. Did I want them to come in to provide Dad’s morning care or not…? I needed help, of course! But I declined the offer knowing it could compromise Dad’s well-being. It was not uncommon for people to go to work – even to healthcare positions – with colds!
Devices to monitor illness-wellness continuum in care partnering
I wondered ruefully when the day would come that we would have devices to monitor temps and wellness for providing care – devices used at our front door like those used today at the supermarket entrance! I had to frequently remind myself that I was not there to contribute to a status quo response.
Our preparation included purchasing the products which follow. The subsequent period of mitigation then spanned the years 2003-2011 and became “lifestyle maintenance” during my travels since leaving the ranch.
Masks missing from our Amazon order
Missing from the cluster of Amazon products we purchased are masks. Had we been told to wear masks in 2003, we would unquestionably have worn masks! We were totally dedicated to the well-being of the ranchers and our care partners – and to staying well!
Results? Mother and I had no further colds during the remainder of our years together!
Simply remarkable – considering our circumstances! It is an example of what can be accomplished when awareness is raised and when care partners plan and work together. Thank you, “Dream Team.”
According to the CDC website, I now find that no deaths were documented in the U.S. due to SARS in 2003. We took all the precautions we knew to take, but never learned of any reported cases in the Midwest.
2005 Handwashing Campaign
By 2005, more hospitals had websites. In my work with physicians, the home page of a hospital website was, by now, one of the first places I would turn for information about a facility.
What I was finding was quite revealing. Many of the major medical centers across the country were promoting their handwashing campaigns! And the local medical office building now had dispensers for hand sanitizers installed throughout its exam rooms.
Having been a medical center employee in three of Chicago’s major medical centers over the course of a decade, this was the first that I recall seeing a public announcement to join in a handwashing campaign.
In a google search today, this article and many others reveal that the World Health Organization was behind the campaign. See 2005 article from Swissinfo.ch.
Digging further into the handwashing literature today, thousands of research studies can be found on handwashing. It is a simple practice for which the studies continue to indicate a common theme in our culture: Resistance to handwashing.
Resistance translates to ticks on the charts
The death count in the U.S. as of this moment is reported to be 129,953. That is 129,953 families who are grieving the loss of a loved one. Pause to reflect on that egregious number of deaths which may have been preventable.
Today, we know that handwashing and wearing masks in public can help to reduce the suffering. So, why do we continue to bear witness to this complete break-down – when simple actions have life and death consequences?
Does our culture have the will, the discipline, and the leadership to heal? Why does a non-compliant and cavalier response prevail when putting on a mask is much easier than a ventilator?
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During the COVID-19 pandemic: Many of the products we relied upon are currently available on Amazon only to hospitals and institutions. Available substitutes are provided for your review in the individual posts below.
Masks – https://amzn.to/3gAbPsz
Scrub Top – https://amzn.to/3bXGttE
To this point, we had not had a uniform dress code at the ranch. For the first time, we purchased a scrub top for each caregiver to snap on over street clothes when entering the kitchen for food preparation.
Vinyl Gloves – https://amzn.to/2ZHcdyD
We purchased vinyl gloves by the case from that point until departing the ranch. In addition – new attention on handwashing between “tasks”!
Welcome Sign – Please Remove Your Shoes https://amzn.to/2UJlXa4
We didn’t actually have a sign, but this is what we began to ask. “Please remove your shoes.” We had a heavily trafficked off-white carpet – with some of our care partners arriving directly from a shift at the local nursing homes during flu season. Compliance of all who entered was perhaps 95%.
Vacuum – https://amzn.to/2V3R2o2
It was during this period that I purchased what was considered then to be a high-end Electrolux vacuum – sold today under the Aerus brand. I would be needing a good vacuum when I returned to my Chicago condo – and meanwhile, we would use it at the ranch. . . This traffic pattern needed to be kept clean – due to my parents’ vulnerable health status. Some Electrolux models may be found on Amazon. For your preferred model, contact a local dealer.
Melaleuca – Sol-u-mel and EcoSense – https://amzn.to/2XbHfil
One of our care partners re-introduced me to the Melaleuca product line. Sol-u-mel is great for removing spots on clothes, fabrics, and carpet. EcoSense is a concentrated bathroom cleaner. Some of these products are available on Amazon. For the full line of Melaleuca products, please contact a local dealer.
Airborne – https://amzn.to/3e06Mjb
By the time we learned of Airborne, Mother and I were the only ones at the table – as it followed Dad’s death in early 2005. Oprah was interviewing the founder and developer of Airborne. Our ears perked up when we heard she had developed this formula while she was a second grade teacher. Since Mother and I were both former second grade teachers, we followed the interview with rapt attention! Who would better know about the need for this product than its developer – another second grade classroom teacher?
Mother took it daily. I used it daily during flu season – November to April. During our years together, we were able to find Airborne at the local CVS and on Amazon in the $5.99 to $7.99 price range. We loved it, but would not have considered the prices currently listed. Here is a link to one in our price range.
Paper Towels – https://amzn.to/2RgBkEV
We switched to paper towels from terrycloth hand towels in both bathrooms.
Hand Sanitizer – https://amzn.to/2ZJJyZK
Wipes – https://amzn.to/2C7goLU
Kleenex Facial Tissues – https://amzn.to/2XeOBSa
Air Purifiers – https://www.ewg.org/
We had one operating in every room at the ranch and simply loved our brand! Like mountain fresh air! The one unit I later brought with me to Mexico has been working perfectly for 20+ years. Today, many different systems are available. To find one to meet your needs, visit this website for Environmental Working Group: https://www.ewg.org/
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The products included here are what we purchased to prepare for the 2003 SARS pandemic. Today, what is asked to help slow the current pandemic? Very simply: a mask and handwashing.
Posted by: Susan Troyer
