Elder Care Strategies for Assisting Seniors in Shingles Recovery
Supporting Seniors in Shingles Recovery
The varicella-zoster virus, which causes shingles, can be excruciatingly painful and challenging to treat, especially in older people. People who get shingles may have long-lasting effects on their physical and mental health. As family members, friends, and elder care providers, we can do many things to help seniors get better and heal faster. This blog post will talk about useful tips and strategies that can help seniors after getting shingles.
Learning About Shingles and How It Affects Seniors
Before talking about how to help seniors recover from shingles, it’s important to know what shingles are and how they affect them. The rash associated with shingles, typically affecting only one side of the body, is caused by a virus. For older people, the pain can be especially bad, and it can lead to problems like postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), a nerve pain that can last for an extended period. As part of the support team, elder care providers and loved ones can do the following to assist seniors:
Encourage Medical Help
Making sure adults who have shingles get the right medical care is the first thing that can be done to help them get better. It is suggested that they talk to a medical worker who can give them antiviral drugs and painkillers. Getting medical help right away can lessen the intensity and length of symptoms.
Elder Care: Shingles Recovery in Ardmore, PA
Offer Emotional Support
Shingles can hurt more than just the body. It can also hurt the mind. Because of the pain and discomfort, seniors may feel anxious, depressed, or angry. Listen to them, have positive conversations with them, and urge them to talk about how they feel. Supporting someone emotionally is a very important part of getting better.
Help With Daily Tasks
Seniors who are healing from shingles may find it hard to do normal things because they are tired and in pain. Offer to help with things like food shopping, cooking, and cleaning. Along with making them feel less tired, this shows them that they are not alone in their recovery.
Make the Living Space More Comfortable
Change the living area to meet the wants of an older person who is recovering from shingles. Make sure that the place is safe and comfortable. This could mean moving furniture around to make room for less stuff, giving them soft blankets, and making sure they can easily get to the things they need.
Encourage Physical Exercise
Rest is very important in the early stages of shingles, but encouraging light physical exercise can help the healing process. To keep seniors from getting stiff and improve their circulation, the elder care team can take short walks with them, encourage them to do gentle stretches, and ensure they get up and move throughout the day.
Encourage a Healthy Diet
The elder care team can help create a meal plan that includes foods high in minerals and vitamins to help the immune system. Staying hydrated is also very important for senior health and helps the healing process.
Helping seniors get better from shingles needs a whole-person method that takes into account both their physical and mental health. Along with this, loved ones and the elder care team should use patience and understanding to help seniors begin to feel better.
Sources: Source 1 | Source 2 | Source 3
If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring Elder Care in Ardmore, PA, and the surrounding area, please contact the friendly staff at Suma Home Care.
Call (484) 206-4544
Ibrahim recently completed a Professional Certificate in Management; He is currently pursuing a Masters in Business Administrations (MBA) at a prestigious university in the UK.
With their passion for helping others and a strong background in customer services and clinical care, Ibrahim and his wife started assisting individuals in their homes.
Since started and operating Suma Home Care in 2010 in the basement of their home, Suma Home Care has provided professionals who work endlessly in providing clients with the highest quality of care, while enabling clients to maintain dignity, comfort and safety in their homes.
Suma Home Care, serves four counties in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Chester, Montgomery and Philadelphia. Ibrahim is firmly connected to his local community and is always looking for ways to give back whenever the opportunity presents itself.
Ibrahim enjoys spending time with his wife and children, travelling and enjoys sports.
Mariama Suma-Keita BSN RN
Born in Sierra Leone west Africa, relocated to America in 1999 from a civil war and settled since in the U.S.A as a Naturalized citizen Graduated from National school of nursing with an associate , and completed BSN in Nursing from Immaculata University graduated with Honor roll Alpha Lambda sigma, After escaping the war served as a refugee nurse in Gambia and Guinea to other displaced refugees before coming to America.
In the states started in Homecare then then transition into hospital, worked in Jefferson hospital as a Registered nurse on Tele and general medsurg floor, also worked in Einstein hospital as an oncology transplant nurse , I realized that I enjoy working with patients so much and believe in quality and compassionate care one at a time dealing with an holistic approach in caring for patients and family in a familiar environment called home , I see the impact and progress when they’re home , it makes them feel relax and progress fast with recovering at home. As a nurse and entrepreneur I understand that dedication to meeting people and families needs is a priority, and able to foster relationships with family and patients that is professional and friendly to help them stay and settled home as a desire.
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