How to Help Your Elderly Loved One Avoid Getting a Cold

Does your elderly loved one get the common cold often? Many elderly adults will get this sickness 2 or 3 times every year and it will last around 7 to 10 days. However, for many elderly adults who have a weakened immune system, catching a common cold could turn into worsened health issues such as pneumonia. If you want to help your elderly loved one to avoid getting a cold in the first place, there are some tips that can help with this.

Regular Hand Washing

If your elderly loved one doesn’t already do this, you should make sure they are regularly washing their hands. Viruses thrive on hands, so it is important to encourage regular hand washing in your elderly loved one. If they aren’t capable of doing it on their own, make sure they are soaping up and washing their hands for a minimum of 20 seconds. They should wash their hands every time they go to the bathroom, before and after meals, and after they have been in public.

No Face Touching

You should also help your elderly loved one to not touch their face. This can be one of the more difficult things to do as many people touch their face out of habit. However, since the germs of a common cold thrive on hands, if your elderly loved one touches their face, they could spread the germs. This could increase the risk of getting a cold.

Using Disposable Items in the House

If there are multiple people living in the home, it is recommended that disposable items are used. This includes things such as plates, cups, and utensils. These are quite inexpensive and can help to prevent the spread of germs throughout the home.

Home Cleanliness

Keeping your elderly loved one’s home clean is another way to help prevent the common cold. If your elderly loved one has a home care provider, light cleaning may be something they are willing to do. By keeping the surfaces throughout the home clean, such as countertops and doorknobs, you can reduce your elderly loved one’s chances of getting a cold.

Proper Sleep

If your elderly loved one gets quality sleep on a regular basis, this can also reduce their chances of getting the common cold. This is because the body heals while it is sleeping. If your elderly loved one gets 7 to 8 quality hours of sleep each night this can help them out quite a bit.

These are some of the ways you can help your elderly loved one to avoid getting a cold. Make sure you work with them on doing these things to keep them as healthy as possible.

Sources
https://www.cdc.gov/dotw/common-cold/index.html

If you are considering home care in Xenia, OH, for an aging loved one, please contact the caring staff at Touching Hearts At Home of Dayton today at 937-558-9394.

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