Senior Care Considerations near Cumming, GA
Summer can have a wide range of influences on people’s behaviors, the things that they do, and even their health. Depending on the individual, summer’s heat can be life threatening, or it can be a breath of fresh air. For those who rely on senior care and medications, the type of medications that are being taken can pose a risk to the patient.
Certain medications can actually cause the body to be more susceptible to the heat and dehydration for example. If the elderly individual is being prescribed a particular medication for the first time during the summer, it’s important that they ask the doctor or find out what type of interactions, or risks, are going to be involved in this situation. If the senior needs to avoid direct sunlight because their skin will become more susceptible to sunburn, then it’s important for the senior care services to be made aware of this issue. It’s not going to be the same for every senior, or every medication that they may have to take.
Depending on the type of medication that is being prescribed, some combinations could pose a greater risk of some health factors, depending on the heat and the sunlight that he or she is exposed to.
The two most common issues are going to be dehydration and sunburns.
What to do to ensure that the senior is safe while enjoying the summer weather? As a senior care provider, there are certain things that you can do to ensure that the elderly individual has a safe and enjoyable time whenever they are going out for the day during the summer.
First, be aware of the potential risks involved with the medications that he or she is taking. The more you know, the more you can do to prevent any issues from arising.
Second, make sure that you bring along plenty of water for you and the patient. Even though the elderly patient may not feel like they need to drink more water, it’s usually best to advise and encourage it. Once a person tends to feel that they are becoming dehydrated, they already are.
Lastly, encourage the senior to dress appropriately to help protect their skin from the direct harm of the sun. This could include light fabric, long sleeve shirts and pants as well as a large brimmed cap and wrap around sunglasses.
