Follow Us on Facebook - To See What We've Been Up To. Click the Button! - You can also catch our On-line Sunday Worship here as well!
Preparing Caregivers during COVID-19
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention, older adults and individuals with chronic health conditions are at higher risk for serious illness from the coronavirus (COVID-19). With already more than 40 million family caregivers helping loved ones with care in the U.S., we expect the virus to increase the number of family caregivers who are providing short-term or long-term care to an older loved one.
AARP wants to offer some guidance to family caregivers, specifically to help them tackle how to create a plan for those they are caring for, and supporting those new to caring for someone due to the virus impacting more of the older population.
1. Pull Together a Team • Put together a list of individuals in your family or friend network and services in your community that can help
you perform some key caregiving tasks. • Find out if services such as Meals on Wheels can help deliver meals, or if there are other local services to help with food or
medication delivery.
2. Inventory Essential Items • Determine how much food, medication, and basic supplies the person you’re caring for has on hand.
We recommend, if possible, having a 2-week supply of the following items: food, water, house cleaning supplies, and medical supplies/equipment.
3. Get Medications in Order and Ask for Extra • Make sure you have a list of medications, medical contacts, and know where to
find healthcare documents like advanced directives. If there are upcoming routine medical appointments, reschedule those or switch to a virtual visit or telehealth. Medicare has temporarily expanded
its coverage of telehealth services, call your insurance company to understand what’s covered. • We recommend having an extra 30-day supply of essential medications on hand.
Don’t forget over-the-counter medications like cough suppressants and fever reducing drugs like acetaminophen.
4. Create a Plan to Stay Connected • Isolation is a huge issue as we begin to follow the social distancing guidance from the CDC. Set up
communication using a variety of technology with your loved one and your team – FaceTime, Google Home, Skype, smart speakers, or simply phone and text. • Check with the facility your
loved one is in to see if they have made accommodations for online visits using technology and how they plan to communicate with families. • As an alternative, send in cards, letters,
magazines, puzzles or other items you know your loved one would be happy to get! Talk with your facility management about the safest way to deliver items.
5. Maintain Personal Safety and Self-Care • In order to be safe and stay healthy, limit contact with visitors, stay home and continue to
follow guidelines from the CDC. While most of us are very focused on the person we are caring for, it is essential to also care for yourself. • For high risk individuals, such
as those with dementia and underlying health conditions, consider having the primary caregiver self-isolate with the care recipient. • Make sure to have a back-up plan should you get ill
as the primary caregiver
Welcome to Belmont!
Belmont A.M.E. Zion Church helps to provide the foundation for strong communities in Worcester. We believe that if you can change one person for the better you can change a family, you change a family, you can change a neighborhood, you change a neighborhood, you can help change a city. Our members work together to support our communities. We also believe in having a personal relationship with God. Come where we believe everybody is somebody!
All are welcome!
You are welcome to come worship with us!
AME ZION COMMERCIAL.mov
QuickTime video format [2.2 MB]
Join Us for Church!
Most people who drop out of church haven't lost their faith in God, they simply fell out of the habit of churchgoing. Some moved or had a change in life circumstances, or they had a falling out with their former church and simply drifted away. Most often, life became too busy. Is this you? Or you may not have come to church but are open to attending a service? We invite you to join us!
Thought Life!
This is a new ministry that I'm excited about! JuVan Langford has agreed to partner with us and connect us to his "Thought Life" video blog. He is exciting the youth (as well as us seasoned folks) with his positive messages and inspirational mentoring through the web. Take a look to get started and there is more to come!
Video of the Month!
This is a new feature where the Pastor will select a video that will provide at least one of the following: Love, Encouragement, Support, Deliverance, Peace, Breakthrough, Forgiveness, and Strength.
Watch the video and pray that God will speak to you through the message.
The Belmont A.M.E. Zion Church provides invaluable community services.
Learn more about our work.
What Keeps Us Going
Read more inspiring stories.