Surviving the Winter Season: 5 Tips on Staying Healthy Around Senior Relatives
When you're caring for a senior parent or visiting them during the winter months, you don't want your germs to make them unwell. You worry that any winter cold or flu you pick up will make its way to your senior loved one. Here are a few tips for staying healthy, so you can keep your senior loved one healthy:
1. Reduce Stress
One way to ensure that you stay healthy and keep your senior loved one healthy is to reduce the stress in your life. Stress leaves you feeling tired and worn out, and this is the time when germs can slip in. You need to practice self-care and make time for yourself. You can take up a hobby or plan time away to reduce your stress.
2. Eat Healthily
Healthy eating should be a way of life, but sometimes, it's easier to grab something quickly. You need to make a concentrated effort to cook and eat healthy meals and offer healthy snacks for both you and your senior loved one during the winter months to stave off colds. Healthy eating helps you fight off colds and flu before they have time to settle in and make both of you sick.
3. Sleep Well
Sleep is important to keep you healthy and help you fend off germs and viruses. During the winter months, it pays to make sure that you're getting enough sleep. You might invest in a satin pillowcase or a white noise machine. Decide on a sleep schedule and stick to it as faithfully as you can. When you're sleeping well at night, you'll find that you have more energy throughout the day.
4. Get Your Flu Shot
One of the best ways to protect your senior loved one from getting sick during the winter months is to get a flu shot. The flu shot doesn't guarantee that you won't get the flu, but if you do, it's usually a more mild case of it. You can also take your senior loved one to get a flu shot as well because you aren't the only one coming in contact with your senior parent.
5. Wear a Mask
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began in early 2020, it's become more common to wear a mask. You can continue or return to wearing a mask when you're outside of your home to protect yourself and your senior loved one from easily communicable colds and flu. If you only see your senior loved one once a week or so, you might consider wearing a mask when you visit for their protection.
Senior Helpers Milwaukee Can Provide Support
It can be a struggle to care for a senior loved one, or you might be a senior who needs a little extra help in Milwaukee, Glendale, Brookfield, or Germantown. Senior Helpers Milwaukee can provide the extra support you need to stay in your home. Contact us today to learn more about what we do!