Elder Care Bronx NY
The fall season brings many wonderful opportunities for you as a family caregiver, but it also ushers in cold and flu season. During this time of year your elderly loved one is at particular risk of contracting an illness or infection, including both of these common ailments. It is important to remember that elder adults have immune systems that are not as effective as those of younger adults so they are more susceptible to developing illness and infection. This means that a condition that you might experience as mild may develop into something very serious for your elder parent, possibly even leading to pneumonia.
One of the most important distinctions that you can make as a caregiver is the difference between a cold and the flu. While they can sometimes be easily confused, knowing the difference between them can help you to make the right decisions to help your parent get the care, treatment, and support that they need in order to minimize the negative consequences of the condition and recover as quickly as possible.
Some things to keep in mind when determining if your elder parent is dealing with a cold or the flu include:
• Both conditions are caused by viruses, meaning that they are not impacted by antibiotics.
• Colds tend to be less severe than flu, and are likely to have a shorter duration.
• While those with a common cold might experience mild body aches or headache, those who are suffering from the flu are likely to experience more intense versions of these symptoms.
• The flu tends to cause chills and cold sweats.
• A common cold is more likely to cause a stuffy or runny nose.
• The fatigue associated with the flu tends to be much more pronounced and longer lasting than that of a common cold.
Sometimes it can be extremely difficult to tell the difference between these two conditions. If you are concerned about your loved one’s health or think that their symptoms are too serious, get in touch with their doctor so that they can get the appropriate evaluation, diagnosis, and course of treatment to help them recover effectively.
Elder care can be an ideal solution for helping your aging parent stay healthier and have a more enjoyable, fulfilling quality of life as they age. An elderly home care services provider can create a personalized approach to care, assistance, support, and encouragement tailored to their individual needs, challenges, limitations, and goals so that your loved one can stay healthier, stronger, and more engaged in the world around them. When it comes to preventing cold, flu, and other infections and illnesses, this elder care provider can help them to create and maintain an aggressive germ control approach that can help them prevent contracting these germs whether they are at home or out and about. Through this simple process, as well as eating a healthier diet, getting enough rest, and staying active, your parent can avoid issues that put their health and wellbeing at serious risk.
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/coldflu.htm