As the year starts to slide toward its end many people are thinking about the holidays that are coming up and the excitement and joy that comes with them. As a family caregiver, however, your mind should also be on something else that arrives during the fall and winter months: cold and flu season. This time of year is when the flu virus starts to increase and the chances of getting it get higher. While many people who experience the flu only suffer several days or a week of symptoms and are then able to return to their normal lives, this may not be the case for your elderly parent.
Home Care in Manteca CA: Is The Flu Dangerous For Your Senior?
Is your senior at risk?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that while everyone is at risk for the flu and can suffer serious complications from it, there are two populations that are at particular risk. Those are young children, particularly those under the age of two, and senior adults over the age of 65. These groups are not only more likely to contract the virus, but also to experience potentially devastating health consequences as a result of it. Between 54 and 70 percent of hospitalizations that occur as a result of the seasonal flu each year are among the elderly population, and between 71 and 84 percent of the deaths that are a result of this illness occur in this age group.
There are several reasons why the flu could be dangerous for your aging parent. Senior immune systems are not as strong and responsive as those of younger people, making it easier for them to catch the virus and harder for them to fight it. Seniors are also more likely to be suffering from medical conditions that further weaken their body’s resistance. This can lead to complications such as dehydration, worsening of breathing and heart problems, and pneumonia, all of which can be life-threatening.
How can home care services help?
Starting elder care for your aging parent can be an exceptional step toward boosting their quality of life and supporting a more fulfilling, independent, and engaged lifestyle throughout their later years. An elderly home care services provider can be with your parent on a customized schedule that ensures that they have access to the care, support, and assistance that they need at all times, whether that is several hours every day or just occasionally to handle specific tasks. Knowing that your senior parent has access to the personalized services of an elder care provider can give you peace of mind as their adult child, knowing that they are comfortable, safe, and happy, and also ease your stress as their family caregiver, knowing that even when you are not able to be with them, or if you have certain limitations, that their care needs will be fulfilled in the way that is right for them.
If you or an aging loved one is considering hiring home care services in Manteca, CA, or the surrounding areas please contact the caring staff at ApexCare®. Proudly Serving Sacramento, Placer, Yolo, Solano, San Joaquin & Stanislaus counties.
Call Today 877-916-9111
Source:
https://www.healthline.com/health/cold-flu/deadly-flu
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/disease/65over.htm
https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/flu-guide/fact-sheet-elderly-people#1
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/index.htm