How to Help Your Senior Manage Asthma
Asthma can be so hard to manage, especially for a senior living on their own. Many seniors choose to age in place, and when dealing with an illness like asthma. You may be concerned for their safety. Luckily, your loved one can hire elder care. Or they can even ask for the help of family members while they age in place. Elder care is a great choice for seniors who are trying to manage asthma as well as other health conditions. These professionals can remind seniors to take medications and clean their homes. This may reduce the risk of an asthma attack. It can also help them keep on a daily routine which may limit stress.
Here are other ways to help your senior mom or dad manage asthma:
What is Asthma?
Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition characterized by inflammation and airways narrowing, making breathing difficult. Common symptoms include wheezing, shortness of breath, coughing, and chest tightness. This can range from mild to severe, with varying triggers and degrees of impairment in lung function. If your senior loved one does not take their inhaler or get help immediately, they can suffer great consequences, so managing it is crucial.
What are the Triggers?
You may think asthma just happens, but that isn’t always true, there are usually triggers that are near or around your loved one to make their breathing harder. This could be dander, dust, pollen, or even a type of medication. The best thing about having elder care around is that they can pay attention to when an attack happens. They can also help limit the risk of asthma attacks. They may notice it happens more when the house is dirty and dusty, so they may help limit the dust for a senior. If they notice it happens every day after taking a medication, they can help a senior talk to their doctors about it.
When to go Outdoors
Your loved one may have a hard time going out in the summertime when the air is full of pollen, and the grass is always being mowed somewhere. However, your senior should still get outside at least once daily. It’s important to know what time is best to go outside, like early morning when no one else is up or even late evening when the grass is done being mowed. It’s important to note when to go out and when to stay in.
Keeping the House Trigger Free
You may want the windows open all summer, but this is a good way to let in triggers. Pollen can come through the window, and dust and even plants can blow right in, causing your senior loved one to breathe erratically and have an asthma attack. Elder care can help your loved one by cleaning up and ensuring the windows are closed during the summer. If you need some air flow, try doing it on a day where there are less allergens in the air and only for a limited amount of time. This will help ensure your senior has a clean, fresh home without risking an asthma attack.
If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring Elder Care in Grass Valley, CA, talk to the caring staff at Partners in Care today. Serving El Dorado, Nevada, Yuba, Sutter, Sacramento, Placer, Butte, Glenn, Yolo, & Colusa Counties!
Call us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! (530) 268-7423
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