The COVID-19 pandemic has much of the world on some form of lockdown, and the way things are normally done has drastically changed. Many important businesses have either shut their doors or limited the services they offer. Many people are struggling to provide for their basic needs due to unemployment and trying to figure out homeschooling and for their children. Being stuck at home means you have to figure out how to manage your responsibilities all while social distancing and taking measures to prevent contracting the virus.
The way we’re used to navigating the world is changing fast and is already being considered as the new normal. How will you manage your dental health or take care of your other responsibilities if you’re not supposed to leave your house? Even though many services are closed, there are things you can do to maintain your sanity and achieve a bit of normalcy. Here are some practical things you can do during your quarantine to take care of important matters.
Do It Yourself Home Remodeling Projects
While you’re stuck at home, it’s a good time to work on those home remodeling projects that you’ve been putting off. Hardware stores are still being considered essential services, which means they’re still open if you want to get some replacement doors for your home or get that kitchen cabinet refacing underway. However, plan on doing these tasks yourself as you may not be able to hire a contractor due to the restrictions. You can find many free videos online that can show you how to get these home remodeling projects done. You may also want to make sure you can get the materials you need as supplies may dwindle fast if the pandemic keeps continuing.
For certain remodeling jobs, you may be able to still find a contractor for your remodeling needs. What may be available will highly depend on where you live and what restrictions may be in place. Companies that are still operating are following strict guidelines to keep their workers and customers safe. If you’re considering any remodeling during quarantine, call several companies and ask what their services and policies are at this time. They may be able to video conference with you to give you a quote on projects they’re able to still do while stay at home orders are in place.
Roof Repair And Maintenance
Roofing contractors are still considered an essential service in many areas, although this varies from state to state. You may be able to have your roof repaired or maintained while you’re practicing social distancing. Many roofing companies are using satellite imagery to create and prepare proposals for clients and meeting with them by phone. Documents can be placed in your mailbox for you to sign and place back whenever you’re ready. Contractors and other crew members can wear protective gear while performing the work and you can keep your six feet distance with no problems.
If you have a roof that needs repair or maintenance, now would be a perfect time to get this off your to-do list. It’s unclear how long this industry will be able to remain as an essential service should the pandemic be prolonged. Routine inspections may need to be delayed until after the pandemic has ended and all restrictions have been lifted. If you need more information, you can call several roofing companies to find out how they are handling the process in your local area. They’ll be able to provide you with any next steps towards getting your roof fixed while keeping everyone safe.
Get Help With Your Mortgage
Right now, you may be out of work because of the pandemic and it doesn’t seem to be going away any time soon. How will you be able to pay your mortgage during this time? You may be able to qualify for a loan from one of the many hard money lenders to help you during this tough time. It’s highly unlikely to get assistance through a bank right now with everything going on, as banks may see loan repayment questionable because of the virus. Since hard money loans aren’t ruled by secondary markets, they’re easier to access online and you can get funding in less than two weeks in many cases.
If you own commercial real estate, you’ll also need money to pay for employees and other expenses, especially if you’re still considered an essential service. You may be struggling to pay your monthly rent or have tenants that may be unable to pay. There are laws in place during the pandemic that don’t allow you to evict non-payers at the moment, so you’ll need to find some relief. Acquiring a loan can help you through until the pandemic has passed. You may even be able to qualify for other assistance through local, state, and federal programs.
Take Care Of Your Dental Health
Taking care of your dental health is vital. However, certain dental procedures aren’t available at the moment due to the virus. But if you have a serious dental health problem, you can still seek emergency treatment. You can still receive care for serious pain, non-stop bleeding, and swelling. You should contact your dentist first to find out exactly what dental health services are covered under emergency treatment services. For services such as routine cleaning, you can expect to have to wait to schedule an appointment once the pandemic has passed.
To practice good dental health during the outbreak, make sure to brush your teeth twice daily for two minutes each time and floss at least once. If you can, invest in an electric toothbrush and rinse your mouth with a non-alcohol based mouthwash. Look for dental health toothpaste that contains hydroxyapatite, which will help build up tooth enamel without destroying oral bacteria. Avoid unhealthy snacking that can turn from plaque to tartar within 72 hours and hard foods that can cause your teeth to chip or break. If you do have a dental health emergency, contact your dentist by phone so they can instruct you on what to do in order to keep you and their staff safe from coming into contact with the virus.
How To Address Child Custody
The coronavirus has made child custody matters a bit challenging for divorced parents. Many courtrooms are closed and only emergency cases are being heard by judges by phone or videoconferencing. As a result, child custody attorneys and mediators are stepping in to resolve matters as best they can. Couples are being advised to not shirk their court-ordered duties or try to keep their children away from the other parent during this time. Doing so can negatively impact you once the outbreak subsides.
With school being closed, visitation rights can be a bit confusing. Many courts are ruling that any previous schedules that were in place before the outbreak remain the same unless couples mutually agree otherwise. Stay at home orders and other related restrictions don’t affect child custody and visitation agreements, so children can’t be kept away from their other parent simply because of the quarantine regulations. If you do need to submit court documents or file papers, check online with your county government or give them a call to receive instructions on what to do.
Take Care Of Elderly Parents
Older adults are currently at the most risk for death if they become ill with the COVID-19 virus. However, many programs are struggling to meet the elderly care needs of these vulnerable adults. In the United States, there are at least 47 million elder adults aging in place, 1.4 million in nursing homes, and 812,000 seniors residing in assisted living facilities. Approximately 60% have chronic health conditions that increase the risk of the virus being fatal. At least 5.5 million seniors were already struggling to get access to food before the pandemic, and now many of the services providing meals have been shut down.
Nonurgent medical appointments have been canceled, which may cause older adults with mobility issues to deteriorate. A home healthcare agency can step in to meet needs, yet seniors may still not get proper care if the staff should become contagious. Some programs are offering video visits, but this may be problematic for seniors who aren’t accustomed to technology or can’t answer the phone. If your loved one is in a nursing home, you may be considering bringing them home but that might not be the best option. Your elderly parent might not be let back into the home after the outbreak subsides and be put on a waiting list to return.
Figure out what you can do to help your elderly parents during this time without putting them at greater risk. If they’re aging in place, call their doctor and see if you can get up to three months of medication and ask what can be done to ensure they receive the best medical and dental health care possible during the quarantine. Gather up at least two weeks’ worth of food and other essentials and see what programs might be available. Have back up plans in case a home health caregiver is unable to show up for visits to take care of their hygiene, dental health, and other medical needs.
Protect Yourself At Work
During this pandemic, you may be deemed as an essential employee, which means you need to take greater care in avoiding workplace injuries and contracting the coronavirus. There are no federally enforceable requirements for employers to implement policies and procedures to protect their workers from the virus. Both OSHA and the CDC have issued recommendations, but aren’t doing on-site inspections to keep people safe. You can file a complaint with these organizations if your employer is willfully ignoring the recommendations. It’s up to you to keep yourself as safe as possible while you’re performing your essential job functions.
If you feel that your health is being jeopardized, you may still be able to receive unemployment insurance and coverage if you decide to quit. All essential employees are entitled to free childcare while they’re working. To protect yourself, you can ask if there is an opportunity to work remotely from home. If none of those options are a possibility, do everything you can to practice social distance and wear protective equipment such as masks and gloves as much as possible.
Clean Your Jewelry
With many jewelry stores now closed because of the outbreak, getting your jewelry professionally cleaned is out of the question. Jewelry has the potential to carry the virus, so it’s important that you take the proper steps to avoid contamination. The virus can remain active on certain surfaces for days at a time, which means proper sanitization is crucial. You may be following the guidelines and washing your hands frequently, taking your jewelry off as you do so and then putting it back on when you’re done. However, that may not be the most efficient way to protect yourself.
You should wash your rings with an antibacterial wash at the same time you wash your hands. When you use regular soap on your hands, it can create a layer of soap and dirt to build up around gemstones and in the inner part of the ring. You can use a clean toothbrush to scrub gemstones and make them sparkle. You may also want to consider soaking rings in a rubbing alcohol solution or using antibacterial wipes to sanitize them. By cleaning your rings at the same time that you wash your hands, you’ll decrease your risk of potentially carrying the virus and getting you or your loved ones sick.
The pandemic is drastically changing how we live our everyday lives. While everything is shifting dramatically, you can still live a somewhat normal life even with being forced to stay at home. As you can see, there are many things you can do during quarantine to stay busy and fight off boredom. While learning how to navigate the new normal that this pandemic has brought on, you can take care of many important household matters such as dental health and finances and still keep yourself safe from contracting the virus or spreading it to others. Now’s your chance to get those things done that you’ve been putting off, so why not get started on this list today?