Norovirus at assisted living

JulieTM

My mom had norovirus but no longer has symptoms, but her whole facility is on lockdown and she is really confused and decompensating fast (being isolated). We are being told to stay away, and I have kids myself, so I'm trying to decide if it is safe enough to go over and try to at least find her remote, find her phone, put up signs, etc. If I mask up and wear gloves, does anyone know if that is enough to avoid getting it? Any other thoughts about what to do?

--Rebecca--

Go ahead and visit. She will be very weak and need your support. Regular protocol does not kill norovirus. You need a bleach solution. Regular clorox wipes and hand sanitizer does nothing. After you find her phone and remote, leave ready to eat canned soup for your mom to get rehydrated. Pre packaged Jellos and pudding are great, too. Carnation Breakfast drinks or Ensure helps. The virus can live for extended an extended time in laundry, so don't touch her dirty clothes. Wipe down surfaces with the special bleach based clorox wipes. After you leave, wipe down your hands with the bleach wipes, too.

After your visit expect to get sick. It will hit you fast, once you start to feel a stomach rumbly. So stock up your own home with sick day food, just in case.

JulieTM

Thanks. One concern is that I have people at home I don't want to get sick, so I was hoping to figure out a way to go over there and avoid picking it up

harshedbuzz

How adamant is the facility about avoiding visits right now? When do they anticipate a return to normal?

I get that you have a right to visit and that your mom would benefit from you dropping by, but if it strains a collaborative relationship with the people who care for your mom 24/7 and are looking out for others as well, I wouldn't risk it unless it was an end-of-life situation.

If you do go, the bleach wipes are a good choice. Hand sanitizer is no match for Norovirus.

Quilting brings calm

One reason they are discouraging visitors: to keep other illnesses from being introduced on top of this one. The residents do not need to get COVID or RSV too.

Please just drop supplies at the door and let the staff take care of her.

--Rebecca--

JulieTM, you can't guarantee that you won't pick up a highly communicable virus. But you can be careful and reduce you chances.

If you get it, can you quarantine yourself in your home? The big question is, do you have a bedroom with an ensuite bathroom for just you to use while you are sick? Can someone bring food to you while you are sick, so you will stay out of the kitchen? If so, you won't spread it to your family if you pick it up.

I went to help my dad after he had Norovirus. I got it, and was terribly sick for 3 days. I learned the hard way that Noro doesn't care about Clorox clean up wipes. I quarrentined in our home; no one else got it.

This strain going around is to be taken very seriously. (My brother also got it. Even the receptionist got it.) I'm glad I went to check on my dad. He was so weak and needed assistance, and the AL's staff was out sick. Did they restaff with temps? Nope. No housekeeping. No laundry service. Not enough food service. It was a disaster.

Iris L.

I'm glad to learn about the Chlorox wipes because I once picked up Norovirus on a cruise ship overseas. I had been very careful with handwashing but I happened to attend to an elderly woman who had collapsed from dehydration, and she was the initial one with the Norovirus. Do not hug or touch anyone!

Iris

MN Chickadee

I was in a similar situation, except it was covid in 2021. Mom got covid in her MC facility and was quarantined, I technically wasn't supposed to visit but they did allow it after a few days if I put on all the PPE. I was really glad I did, because she was in bad shape it ended up sending her down a spiral. It wasn't really the covid symptoms itself like coughing or breathing troubles or anything like that, but the stress on the body combined with quarantine seemed to accelerate her dementia. She stopped eating and really cratered fast and died a few weeks later. I'm not sure I could have lived with myself if I had stayed away 2 weeks with her in that condition. I wouldn't alienate staff over it, but if they let you in I'd probably do it. I would mask with an n95 (noro isn't often transmitted by breathing but you don't want to introduce any new viruses) and wear disposable gloves that you bag up and throw away immediately upon exiting the building. Maybe put on a fresh pair then until you get home and wash thoroughly. Hand sanitizer, wipes and most cleansers don't kill norovirus, and it can live on surfaces for many days. We once had it in the house when my kids were little and my parents came over 9 days after we recovered and still picked it up. Be over the top with sanitation protocols. Bonus points if they have any of the full body disposable suits they made me wear during covid. If you have kids at home you are already at risk of it coming into your house; I guess my risk calculation would be to put on all the PPE and risk it to check on her. YMMV.

Palmetto Peg

The MC facility where my husband lives had a huge outbreak of norovirus, but the residents seemed to get sick all at the same time. They had been monitoring residents for COVID, and since my DH tested negative, I gave him a big kiss goodbye - and the next day he was sick with the virus, and the next day I was. Unless it is a life-or-death situation, I suggest not going. I can't recall ever being so ill, and I was in bed for 5 days with it. So, I wasn't much help to anyone. Most of the staff got sick, but they did bring in temps, who mostly all got sick, too. If you go, mask up, glove up, come home and strip down and get into the shower with lots of soap and hot water, and wash everything you wore in hot water. Good luck - it is so hard to know what is the right thing to do, but please be careful. It is truly awful!

jehjeh

About 10 years ago my mom, in independent living, had an outbreak in the building. She got sick, staff delivered meals, Gatorade to her apartment and said no outside visitors. She was getting sicker so I walked in and took her to her Dr. (Called ahead to let them know what was happening and they said to bring her in). Turns out she was severely dehydrated. They gave her IV fluids in the office and she returned to her apartment. She bounced back quickly. Her neighbors all had a very slow recovery. I'd check with Dr. just in case there's something more that can be done to help your mom. Facilities can become overwhelmed in emergencies like this.