Hand washing is one of the most important things you and your elderly family member can be doing right now to avoid the coronavirus that is causing Covid-19. While your elderly family member may have been a hand washer before, she needs to be even more vigilant about doing so now.
Washing Her Hands Often Is Vital
Your senior needs to be washing her hands many times a day. Regular soap and water are the absolute best option for this and they’re readily accessible. Make it a habit to encourage your senior to wash her hands before eating, after coughing or sneezing, and after going to the bathroom. This is important even if she’s staying at home. Washing hands for at least twenty seconds with soap and water can remove a multitude of germs.
Hand Sanitizer Works in a Pinch
If your elderly family member is out and about and doesn’t have an opportunity to wash her hands with soap and water, hand sanitizer is the next best option. The hand sanitizer needs to be at least sixty percent alcohol to be effective against virus germs. She needs to use a generous amount and rub the hand sanitizer all over her hands until it completely absorbs.
Touching Her Face Is Out of the Question
Lots of people touch their faces a lot more than they realize. That’s something that the coronavirus pandemic is making much more obvious. It’s more vital now than ever before that your senior breaks the habit of touching her face. If she does, it should only be after she has washed or sanitized her hands and then she should do one or the other again.
Shorter Nails Can Help
Longer nails can trap bacteria, viruses, and other germs. It might be a good idea for your senior to trim her nails shorter than usual during this time. This can make it easier to ensure that she’s cleaning her hands as thoroughly as possible and that she’s not letting germs stay trapped under her fingernails. Make sure to trim nails straight across and then file off rough edges so that your senior doesn’t accidentally cut herself with a sharp point.
If your elderly family member needs help during the day, home care providers can run errands, make sure she’s eating healthy meals, and prompt her to wash her hands as often as possible. This can be incredibly helpful if your senior needs to self-quarantine while the coronavirus pandemic is in full force.
If You Or An Aging Loved One Are Considering Hiring Home Care in South Pasadena, FL, Please Contact The Caring Staff At Assisting Hands Home Care Today! 727-748-4211.
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Becky Moultrie is Owner and Administrator of Assisting Hands Home Care Serving Pinellas. Guided by a motto to Do Good with Love, she’s well positioned to do just that at Assisting Hands. She has a passion for helping families keep seniors and those who are diabled happy and healthy at home. She serves on a number of boards in Pinellas County including the Pinellas Park Gateway Chamber and Better Living Seniors (BLS), leading the Membership Committee. Annually, she hosts a Silver Santa Party, collecting donations for nearly 100 low income seniors in the county. She attends Blessed Sacrament Church, Seminole where she is an Ascribed Member of the Rosminian Order. When not busy Doing Good in the community, Becky is at home with her husband David & their 4 children, tending to their beehives and digging in the garden.
