With the COVID-19 pandemic still affecting communities around the world, it is vital to take extra care of your seniors and help keep them healthy. But COVID-19 is not the only danger. As people grow older, their immune system gets weaker. Therefore, your seniors are more vulnerable to catching the flu or a common cold from other family members, children, or visitors.
The common cold affects the elderly more intensely than younger family members. Therefore, you should intensify your efforts in helping your senior fight and prevent the colds alongside observing regular COVID-19 prevention measures.
Below are some of the measures you can take to help your seniors fight colds and guard them against infections:
Ensure They Dress Warmly
Make sure your senior wears warm clothes when they show cold or flu symptoms and during cold weather. Certain medications and some ageing effects can make seniors sensitive to cold or hot temperatures. Provide them with boots and warm coats should they go out on a walk in the winter. They may also need a face mask and a pair of protective hand gloves to shield them from germs. A senior home care aide can help dress your senior as well.
Make Sure They Eat Healthy Meals
Various meal plans recommend getting enough vegetables and fruits daily. You should ensure that your seniors eat a balanced diet rich in all the nutrients in the required proportions, i.e., fats, carbohydrates, proteins, etc. A balanced diet helps the body to have a robust immune system that fights against diseases. A senior home care caregiver can help prepare meals and make it easy for them to stay healthy.
Encourage Them To Wash Hands Often
Encourage and help your senior to wash their hands after visiting public places or whenever they interact with other family members. One can pick up germs from a variety of surfaces in public areas-such as doorknobs. Similarly, shaking hands with other people can help transmit germs, thereby increasing the chances of infection. Washing your hands thoroughly and regularly can kill bacteria and viruses and keep your senior safe.
Take Them To The Doctor
If your senior is coughing or has a fever, take them to your primary care physician as soon as possible. Diagnosing and treating the colds earlier can help suppress it fast and reduce its effects, allowing the elderly to live comfortably again. As a caregiver to your senior, you should seek the doctor’s advice on preventive actions you can take during the flu and cold season. A senior home care aide can make it easy to provide transportation to your senior.
Encourage Safe Exercising
Exercising helps the body to increase T-cells production, reduce stress and maintain a fit physique. T-cells help destroy harmful bacteria and viruses. Through these activities, the elderly can also avoid transmission from other infected people.
Ensure They Rest Adequately
Adequate rest is essential in caring for seniors with a cold. Getting sufficient sleep helps the body to stay healthy and have a steady immune system. Make sure your senior sleeps for eight to nine hours each night if possible. You can help them recover disrupted sleep with a short nap during the day, not exceeding forty-five minutes. Senior home care can give your senior the care they need to rest and recover.
Conclusion
When giving a senior cold care, focus more on preventing than treating. However, senior home care can help reduce complications and impacts of infections by detecting the cold early and taking your elderly to the doctor for treatment. If you need professional senior home care advice, call us today to book a consultation!
Sources:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/common-cold/in-depth/cold-remedies/art-20046403
If you or an aging loved one is considering senior home care in Modesto, CA, please contact the caring staff at Provident Care Home Care today at (209) 578-1210.
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