Tanveer’s “worst nightmare” came true when her family tested positive for COVID-19.
Tanveer’s story: The expertise of a hospital. The comfort and safety of home.
“Everyone has that one person in their mind who they don’t want to get COVID-19,” says Tanveer Singh, who received caregiver support through COVIDCare@Home, an initiative launched by Women’s College Hospital to provide virtual care to COVID-positive people in the community.
“For me, it was my younger brother Sammy. I didn’t think he could survive it.”
Sammy, 21, has a complex health condition and requires extensive, hands-on caregiving, primarily provided by his parents. Tanveer’s “worst nightmare” came true in early December when her brother and parents were all diagnosed with COVID-19. There were many barriers for Tanveer’s family to navigate, including the fact that her father’s English is limited, as well as Sammy’s many medical complications.
For Tanveer, the positive tests meant becoming her family’s caregiver. But most of all, it meant fear.
“We weren’t sure if these were going to be Sammy’s last days,” she said.
Tanveer realized quickly that she needed support in managing her family’s care. After they received positive results from testing at Women’s College Hospital, they were connected with the COVIDCare@Home virtual care program.
Tanveer received extensive support from the COVIDCare@home team, who helped her manage Sammy’s medications, provided equipment to carefully monitor his breathing, and offered constant advice and guidance. In the end, Sammy was able to stay home and recovered completely. So did his parents – without a single hospital visit.
“Without this program, we wouldn’t have known how to manage the symptoms. There absolutely would have been a hospital visit but, because we were connected to so much support, everyone was able to stay home,” says Tanveer. “Now, Sammy’s okay. He and my mom and my dad all ended up okay. I’m so grateful we went to Women’s College Hospital for the COVID-19 test that day. Things could have ended up so much differently.”
