Elderly Care Awareness: Strep Throat
Elderly Care in Comstock Park MI
When it comes to being a nurturing, effective family caregiver for your elderly loved ones, awareness is key. Educating yourself about the health risks that they face and being prepared to not only 
address these risks proactively so that you can work toward protecting your loved ones, but how to respond to them properly so that you can help them recover if they do arise ensures your parents are able to live the healthy, strong, and active lifestyle that they need and deserve. Understanding these health risks and how to manage them is also an effective way to keep yourself and the rest of your family healthy so that you can all enjoy life together throughout your elderly care journey.
As you move into the fall and winter seasons, the risk of becoming sick increases and it is important for you to be aware of the different types of illnesses common during these months so that you can work toward keeping them at bay, or treating them properly. Remember that your seniors are more susceptible to serious illness than younger adults and have a more difficult time recovering from illness, meaning that they are even more vulnerable to severe infections and long-lasting health consequences. One of the most common and most serious sicknesses that makes its rounds during this time of year is strep throat.
Caused by the streptococcal bacteria, this illness has a variety of symptoms including:
• Sudden, severe sore throat
• Coughing
• Sneezing
• Aching
• Difficulty swallowing
• Fever of over 101 degrees
• White or yellow spots on the back of the throat
• Headache
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Swollen tonsils
• Reduced appetite
• Belly pain
• Vomiting
• Red rash on the skin
Strep throat is highly contagious. It spreads through the air and through contact with surfaces. When a person carrying the bacteria coughs, sneezes, or even talks, droplets leave their body and enter the air, bringing bacteria with them. Symptoms of the illness appear approximately two to five days after contact with an infected person or a contaminated surface. It is important to note that not all sore throats mean strep. A sore throat is a common symptom of other viral infections as well as allergies and just irritation from environmental factors such as air in the home that is too dry. If you suspect your aging loved one has strep throat, it is important to get him into the doctor as soon as possible for a rapid result test or a throat culture to get an accurate diagnosis.
If your senior is diagnosed with strep throat, thorough care is essential to help him recover. In addition to any treatments prescribed by the doctor, ensure your senior gets plenty of rest and drinks lots of fluids. Increasing the humidity in the home can also alleviate some of the symptoms. Of course, prevention is the best method of fighting off strep throat. Team up with your seniors’ elderly health care services provider to implement an aggressive germ control approach in your care plan, including frequent handwashing, surface disinfection, limiting contact with those who may be infected, and using anti-germ wipes or other tools on surfaces you touch when outside the home, such as grocery store carts.
If you or someone you know needs help with elderly care services in Comstock Park, MI, contact Gauthier Family Home Care. We provide quality and affordable home care services in our community. Call us at (616) 258-2300 for more information.
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