The flu season is in full swing and it has proven to be a particularly nasty one this year with numerous cases of hospitalization and even deaths, predominantly in children. However, seeing how elders are also in the sensitive category, they should be protected from the flu as best as possible.
Sick Senior Man In Bed At Home – Flu
Still, it is not easy to avoid contracting the flu, so if your senior catches it, it is important to know how to protect them. If you don’t have the time to care for them full time, you can always turn to caretakers like ABetterWayInHomeCare.com who are qualified and skilled enough to deal with the situation. However, if you want to do something yourself, here’s what you can do.
Talk to Doctors
Even if you think that it is the flu, you should still visit the doctor and have it confirmed. The doctors will be able to give you additional information about the proper course of treatment and the prognosis.
The flu has no singular and effective cure because it mutates and changes every season. The best thing to do is rest a lot and drink plenty of fluids. Still, there are some medications that can help relieve the symptoms until the body has fought off the illness.
Congestion of the Nose and Sinuses
If your elder’s nose is congested or inflamed, it can obstruct their breathing and make their lives that more difficult. Fortunately, there are numerous decongestion options out there, both as a nasal spray and as an oral medication. Keep in mind that nasal spray should never be used for more than a few days. That’s because it can promote the return of symptoms if used for longer.
However, not all decongestants are the same, especially for the elderly, since it could potentially clash with some medication that they are taking. People with high blood pressure should ask a doctor about which decongestant is safe to use with their medication.
Runny Nose and Other Allergy-Like Symptoms
Itchy and runny nose and watery eyes are also quite common with the flu. There are plenty of options when it comes to antihistamines, even those given out without the prescription by the doctor. However, you should still consult with a doctor before buying over the counter medication, since it could potentially clash with other medication your senior is taking.
Fever and Muscle Ache
This is by far the most noticeable and problematic symptom of the flu. Seniors who already don’t have great mobility can be bedridden or noticeably less active if they come down with the flu precisely because they have a fever and their muscles hurt.
A variety of medication can relieve these symptoms, but before you give your senior such medication, you need to know what other kinds of medication they are taking, since various flu medication already contains some traces of these drugs. If you are not careful, you can exceed their recommended daily dose.
Just like with every other flu medication you’re giving your senior, you need to confirm with their doctor that there’s no interference with the medication that they are already taking.
Coughing and Sore Throat
Coughing medication tends to be a combination of all three previously mentioned types of medication mixed together as well as additional substances to repress coughing, which means that you need to tell the doctor that your senior is taking this before they can be given anything else.
A sore throat can be treated without medication, using warm drinks and salt water gargles. However, if the inflammation is more severe, there are some medical solutions available, too.
Dealing with seniors with flu is not too different than dealing with the flu in other people, but you need to be careful with the medication they are taking.
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