Skip to main content
Submitted by PatientsEngage on 8 June 2020

A handy list of resources for living with the coronavirus and managing your chronic conditions. Just look for your condition below. If you don't find what you are looking for, please leave a comment and we will get back to you.    

We must live with Covid-19 pandemic for a while. For people with chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, rheumatic conditions, pulmonary conditions, it is even more essential to manage these conditions better. For e.g. a person whose blood sugars are under control is better equipped to deal with the coronavirus infection. 

As we prepare for the easing of restrictions, we must be aware of the risks of infection associated with it and mitigate these risks by practicing safety guidelines viz. mask hygiene, regular washing and sanitisation of hands, and maintaining safe distance at all times. 

We must also recognise that we cannot delay seeking help and treatment of our chronic conditions, and seek out the doctor. The process of these has changed in some places. While some places have started OPDs, most still require that you first connect and consult with the doctor through telemedicine. If the doctor advises you to go for tests or go see the doctor in person, please go ahead and not delay diagnosis and treatment. Do not let your fear of Covid-19 risk overtake your need for timely care.

We have also compiled resources for various conditions. Click on the topics you are interested in to get a detailed understanding of your specific condition. If you have specific questions, you can ask in our discussion forums or contact us at  https://www.patientsengage.com/contact

Cancer

1. How to manage cancer treatment during Covid-19 by Dr. Vinay Deshmane, Consultant in Surgical Oncology & Breast Diseases and Medical Director and Jnt. Hon secretary of the Indian Cancer Society. Link to the webinar recording.

2.Also, here is the link to the key notes from the recording of the above webinar    

Diabetes 

1. How to live well with Diabetes during Covid-19 by Dr. Debashis Basu, Diabetes Awareness and You

2. How to manage diabetes during Covid-19 lockdown by Dr. Piya Balani Thakkar. Summary of her webinar recording

2a. How to manage diabetes during Covid-19 lockdown by Dr. Piya Balani Thakkar. Link to the webinar recording

Dementia

1. Dementia Home Care, the COVID-19 infection risk, and Lockdown/ Unlock challenges

This is a good resource to track the impact of the changes due to lockdowns and re-opening of cities and areas and how it impacts dementia care and even elder care. Useful tips for family caregivers of persons with dementia.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      

 

Changed
13/Apr/2021

Stories

  • Image indicates a caregiver holding the hand of an older person
    Life Lesson I Learnt Watching my Papa Die
    We prepare ourselves for everything, but most of us are in denial about death. Aparna Das shares the one final lesson her father taught her during his last few days as he breathed his last. My father was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer in October 2017. Of course, he and all of us did everything in our capacity to save him. But he passed away on the 20th of April 2018. The three days leading to his death were probably the most painful that our family had faced collectively. But I have a…
  • Jacqueline Colaco on a wheel chair, in white at the TCS 10K with some of the other participants
    Adding Abilities with Advancing Age
    Jacqueline Colaco, a feisty 68, does not permit the senior citizen tag to prevent her from pushing her boundaries, acquiring new skills, participating in a range of community activities. She is active on Facebook and has even shaved her head in empathy with her school classmate who was on chemo for cancer! Be ever young at heart. At sixty I thought I’d retire from life... Wanting to go into oblivion with a bang, I gathered about two hundred of my nearest and dearest and celebrated this diamond…
  • Image: Stock pic of a woman wearing a grey jacket, light blue pants staring in front with nooks lined up behind her
    A Tumour In The Heart And a Cerebral Stroke!
    And she still counts her blessings! Bhairavi (not her real name) fainted and lost her vision, speech all at once. Read more to find out how she came to understood the cause and how she resumed painting.  The beginning It all started in summer of 2004, when my husband had just lost his mother and we went to Calcutta for her last rites. The evening of the shraadh or memorial gathering, I was looking for a mouth freshener since I hadn’t eaten all day. My relative offered me some supari (…
  • Image: A young lady in a summery white crop top, a cool drink with a straw in hand, dark glasses in the other hand
    Tips for a Healthy Summer for People with Chronic Conditions
    With increase in global warming, summers have become much hotter in recent years. Rising temperatures are seen with poor air quality, severe weather patterns and higher UV ray radiation. It becomes important to protect yourself and your family from the extreme heat, especially those who are living with a chronic condition.  Here is a look at certain diseases that are most affected by the summer heat and ways on how they can be better managed during summer. If any of your symptoms are not…
  • Image: Stock pic of a bright healthy liver in the hands of a medical professional
    The Liver Is A Very Forgiving Organ, But Has Its Limits
    Dr. KR Vasudevan, Director Liver Transplantation, PSRI Hospital talks about the major risks for a liver disease and how to keep our liver healthy. Also, are herbs and supplements safe for the liver?  #WorldLiverDay Metabolic Dysfunction-associated Liver disease or MASLD (earlier called NAFLD) is the most common cause of Hepatic disease around the world. Why is that? Increasing opulence has brought about changes in life style. Availability of processed food and decreasing physical activity…
  • Is Scar-less surgery a safe alternative for Breast reconstruction?
    An interview on a wide range of issues - from survival rates of breast cancer to quality of life, from the use of chemotherapy to breast reconstruction - with Dr. Vinay Deshmane, Consultant in Surgical Oncology & Breast Diseases and Medical Director and Jnt. Hon secretary of the Indian Cancer Society  1.    Has the survival rate of Breast Cancer changed in India in recent years? Why is that? There is paucity of data on survival rates of most cancers including Breast…
  • Image: Stock image of two people communicating with each other but the words in the speech bubbles are jumbled
    Speech and Language Breakdown after Stroke
    After a stroke nearly 20-40 per cent patients develop communication problems or aphasia, the inability to comprehend and formulate language because of damage to specific language areas in the brain. Dr Sujata Gandhi, Speech Therapist, Nanavati Hospital, advises that speech and language therapy is the best way to restore normalcy and quality of life. How does a stroke or ‘brain attack’ affect speech and communication? A stroke causes damage to the Speech and Language areas of the brain. For most…
  • Image: Roshan Orko Roy sitting on a sofa
    I Like It When People Share a Place With Everyone (Video Interview)
    Roshan (Orko) Roy overcame his motor control challenges to become an acclaimed artist with his own unique style. His art enables him to earn a modest living despite a hampered formal education. He also conducts painting workshops for other children. #AutismAwarenessWeek Roshan (Orko) Roy’s achievement has been to overcome his biggest hurdle and make it his strength. He picked up art at a point in time when he could barely hold a pencil. Due to his autistic problems, his motor control was so…
  • Image: Suparna, caregiver of mother with cancer in a scenic setting
    Journey As A Single Caregiver To My Mother with Cancer
    Suparna Mazumder has been a single caregiver for her mother who was diagnosed with metaplastic carcinoma of the ducts. She recounts her journey  – as an organizer of treatment, as a physical and mental care giver, as the only earning member of the family, as a single parent with a child The Diagnosis It all started in January 2004. 17th January, 11pm. While I was reading the newspaper, my domestic help told me that my mother had been feeling her breasts in the afternoon and had said…
  • Mariyam with her father in a nice outside setting
    It Brought Perspective To My Father’s Illness and Its Impact On My Life
    Talking and writing about health related experiences is still not common in Asia.  This International Women’s Day, we reach out to three dynamic women who share their experience as patient or caregiver to understand their motivations. In the last part of the series, we feature Mariyam Raza Haider.   1)    Why did you choose to blog? My strongest reason for blogging was to bring perspective to my father’s illness and its impact on my life. As I began writing about…