Keeping your aging loved one healthy is a top priority for you.
One of the most important elements of this is effective germ control. Particularly during cold and flu season when the instance of illness and infection is greatly increased, taking steps to combat germs is critical to helping your parent avoid illness and infection, stay stronger, and avoid potentially devastating consequences.
Germ control is not just something your parents do when they are sick.
Instead, managing germs should be a focus across all aspects of their life, including when they are welcoming visitors. Having friends and family come to visit them provide much-needed social stimulation that supports mental and emotional health, but it can expose your parent to a wide variety of germs. Fortunately, there are simple ways to prevent these rooms for making your parent sick and, while still giving them the benefit of this time with their loved ones.
Use these tips to maintain germ control while welcoming visitors for your senior:
-Discourage friends and family from visiting if they have recently been sick. Remember many illnesses remain contagious even seven days after a person has stopped showing symptoms
-Discourage friends and family from visiting if they have been caring for someone who has been sick, or exposed to someone has been sick. Remember illnesses can be in the body and contagious for several days before a person shows any symptoms
-Provide waterless hand sanitizer in the room with your senior so friends and family it can clean their hands prior to coming into contact with your parent
-Provide basic germ control supplies such as tissues
-Discourage your parent from sharing food, beverages, lip balm, or other such items with others
-If your parent has a particularly vulnerable immune system, consider requesting that visitors wear a medical mask when spending time with your senior
-Encourage your parent to wash their hands or use waterless hand sanitizer after visitors leave
When it comes to being the best family caregiver possible for your aging parent, you are not in it alone.
Giving your senior the best care possible often means reaching out for help, and home care is a fantastic source of that help. An in-home senior care services provider can give your aging loved one exactly what they need, while also pursuing the lifestyle that they desire and deserve.
Through a fully customized set of care services, this care provider can help your aging loved one stay safe and healthy, but also help them up pursue a higher level of independence. This sense of autonomy is vital to mental and emotional well-being and can improve your parents overall quality of life as they age in place.