What are the most common infections in older adults? The common cold is a viral infection that many older adults experience. Bacterial pneumonia and the yearly flu are other prevalent infections. Urinary tract infections, shingles, MRSA infections, and food-borne illnesses are others.
How do you help your parents avoid these common infections? Hiring caregivers is one way to help them stay healthy. With the following services, your parents can avoid infections.
Have Someone Cook Meals While Focusing on Food Safety
Personal Care at Home in Hollywood, CA: Preventing Infections
Food-borne illnesses are possible if you don’t cook and store foods correctly. Your mom orders Chinese takeout and leaves the fried rice on the counter overnight. She feels it’s safe to eat it in the morning after microwaving it. You worry about food poisoning.
If she has a caregiver to cook meals for her, she doesn’t have to remember food safety rules like cooking beef to 145 F or ground beef to 160 F. A caregiver can also make sure leftovers are stored safely when you’ve eaten.
Caregivers Keep Up With Appointment Reminders
Your mom and dad need to see their doctor each year. To keep track of these appointments, hire a caregiver for appointment scheduling and reminders. When an appointment is overdue, the caregiver can schedule it and make sure your parent has transportation to and from the medical office.
Caregivers can arrange flu shots, pneumonia shots, COVID-19 vaccinations, TDAP boosters, and shingles vaccinations. You’ll get a report for all of these appointments if your parents approve it.
Make Sure Your Parents Are Hygienic
Some infections occur when your parents have a harder time with personal care. Are they able to brush and floss their teeth without assistance? If not, consider hiring personal care at home aides to help them with oral care.
Do they clean up properly after using the toilet? UTIs occur when bacteria get into the urinary tract. With proper toileting hygiene, your mom and dad avoid having a UTI occur and potentially reach the bladder or kidneys.
Caregivers can also help with bathing and grooming to keep the skin clean, dry, and moisturized, preventing infection. They can check the feet for cracks and sores that can become infected.
If your parents struggle with personal care at home, it’s time to arrange to have caregivers available for hygiene and bathing. Talk to an expert in personal care at home and discuss the cost of hiring caregivers to help your parents with bathing, toileting, and skincare. Call to learn more.