Work With a Home Health Aide to Lessen Your Parent's Risk of Allergy Problems
Hiring a home health aide to care for your elderly parent can dramatically reduce your stress, as well as allow your parent to enjoy independent living for longer. If your parent suffers from various allergies, it's important to share this information with the home health aide and to make sure that he or she will take steps to reduce the risk of allergic reactions. Whether minor or major, a senior citizen's allergic reactions can spell trouble, so hiring a health aide who understands this subject matter and will endeavor to keep your parent healthy is valuable. Here are some ways that you can ask the aide to lessen the risk of allergic reactions.
Keep A Food Diary
People can develop food allergies or sensitivities at various times, including in old age. In order to avoid future allergic reactions, you can ask your parent's home health aide to maintain a food diary after feeding your parent each meal. Upon eating, your parent can tell the aide how he or she feels, and this information can be logged in the diary. For example, after eating white bread, your parent may notice some abdominal discomfort or fatigue. These symptoms may suggest a mild gluten allergy or sensitivity. Knowing this information, you and the aide can then tailor your parent's diet accordingly to avoid this potential allergen.
Wash Bedding Regularly
Many home health aides will take care of regular tasks around the home such as laundry. This is important if your elderly parent has an allergy to dust mites, for example. Keeping the bedding washed regularly will lessen the risk of severe allergic reactions. The home health aide should also keep an eye on the pillows and let you know when they need to be replaced. For example, it's important to replace pillows regularly so that a dust mite-ridden pillow won't bother your parent while he or she sleeps.
Plan Outings Carefully
Seniors with seasonal allergies may be in trouble upon experiencing certain environments at certain times of the year. For example, the springtime is often challenging for those with seasonal allergies. When you make sure to share this knowledge, the home health aide can be cognizant about planning safe outings for your parent. For example, instead of accompanying your parent for a walk in the park during the spring, the home health aide might advocate going to a nearby wall and walking indoors instead.
For more information, contact a business such as Caring Health Care Solutions.