Blog > Should Your Dad Still Go For Walks When Stay-at-Home Orders Are in Place?

Should Your Dad Still Go For Walks When Stay-at-Home Orders Are in Place?

One area where there is some uncertainty is what stay-at-home orders mean when it comes to going outside. Should your dad go outside for walks? He should. It’s recommended that he gets outside for exercise and fresh air. He does need to be careful and follow the self-distancing rules.

Wear a Mask

Elder Care Columbia TN - Should Your Dad Still Go For Walks When Stay-at-Home Orders Are in Place? — Elder Care Columbia TN – Should Your Dad Still Go For Walks When Stay-at-Home Orders Are in Place?

When he’s outside, your dad should consider wearing a face mask. If he lives in a rural area and is unlikely to encounter another person, this isn’t as important. If he’s in the suburbs and several other people are out walking, a face mask is important for his safety.

If he doesn’t have a face mask, he can make one following online instructions. He may find he has a suitable mask in his garage if he has N95 masks from painting rooms in his home.

Stay Six Feet Away

Your dad needs to keep a distance of at least six feet from others when he’s outside. If his neighbor is out and wants to talk, your dad needs to keep a distance of at least two yardsticks between them. If someone is walking towards him on the road, he should cross the road for now. If it’s too crowded on the roads, he could walk around his yard instead.

Wash Up After

When he comes back home, he may need to wash his hands. If he climbed stairs and used a handrail, washing his hands must be the first thing he does at home. After his hands are washed, he should take a sanitizing wipe and go over surfaces he touched getting into the house. Doorknobs and latches are two things he’s certain to have touched.

The rules of staying at home don’t just apply to your dad. You need to follow the same guidelines. What do you do if you’ve been exposed to the virus? You cannot go to his house. You may be the person who helps him every day, but you can’t risk exposing him.

An elder care agency arranges to have a caregiver go to your dad’s home and help him. Caregivers can also help provide the companionship he needs in a stressful time. He may be anxious or even bored after days or weeks at home without more than phone calls or video chats for human contact.

Elder care services keep your dad from going to a store or pharmacy. Caregivers can sterilize the surfaces in his home. Elder care providers can make sure he’s following recommended precautions while taking walks. They’ll do everything you can’t while you’re in quarantine.