Senior Care in The Heights, TX

Just the abbreviation “MRSA” is enough to strike fear in the hearts of any caregiver of elderly adults. This type of infection is very serious and a worry for many who provide continuous care for their aging loved ones, or are helping their seniors recover from an injury or surgery. As a family caregiver for your senior parents, however, it is essential to educate yourself about the realities of MRSA and use this awareness to protect them from contracting the infection or to care for them if they do develop the disease. Awareness in your senior care plan is vital to providing the best care and giving your parents a healthy, active, and fulfilling quality of life.

MRSA stands for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and refers to skin and body infections that are not treatable using conventional antibiotics such as methicillin, penicillin, or amoxicillin. This makes these infections very serious, particularly for elderly adults who are already more susceptible to consequences associated with infections and less able to recover. These infections tend to spread in high-population settings such as hospitals and treatment centers, meaning if your elderly parents have recently received treatment for an injury or illness, or have undergone surgery, it is extremely important to monitor them carefully and take precautions to protect them from MRSA.

Some of the common symptoms of MRSA in the elderly include:

• Skin abscess
• Pus or other fluids draining from an injury or surgical site
• Fever
• Warmth and redness around an infected area
• Shortness of breath
• Fatigue or loss of motivation
• Chills
• Muscle pains
• Headache
• Rash

Making special considerations within your senior care plan is essential to protecting your elderly parents from this type of serious infection, particularly after they spend time in a hospital or treatment facility, suffer an injury or undergo surgery, or come into contact with others who have been diagnosed with MRSA. Use these methods to help prevent MRSA infections or manage infections should they arise:

• Good hygiene. Effective hygiene practices are essential for keeping your aging parents safe from serious infections. Make sure all caregivers and senior health care services providers wash their hands thoroughly with soap before and after contact with your senior. When possible, wear disposable gloves to prevent contact with bodily fluids.

• Visit with caution. Exercise caution when visiting friends or family members with MRSA. The entire area can be infected, meaning coming into contact with linens, clothing, or other items could lead to you carrying the infection home or your aging parents contracting the infection.

• Clean effectively. Be aggressive about keeping your elderly parents’ home and surroundings clean. Wash linens frequently, particularly if they become soiled, using hot water. Only use towels once before washing and do not let dirty laundry build up in the area. Use strong cleansers to keep the home as germ-free as possible to prevent the spread of germs.

• Keep wounds dressed. Make sure you know the proper techniques for keeping your parents’ injuries, wounds, or surgical sites dressed.

If you suspect your elderly loved one is suffering from a MRSA infection, bring him to his physician as soon as possible to get the infection diagnosed so your parent can get on the proper treatment.

If you have a loved one who could benefit from the help of senior care in The Heights, TX contact At Your Side Home Care. We help seniors and their families with many levels of home care service. Call (832) 271-1600 for more information.

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Donna Wrabel, LMSW

Co-Owner at At Your Side Home Care

For most of us, the word "home" evokes warm feelings of comfort, security and well-being. For older adults, home also means holding tight to cherished memories and maintaining self-esteem and independence. When illness, injury or age make life a little more challenging, remaining at home in a comfortable, familiar environment encourages recovery and enhances the quality of life. Home can be defined as a private residence, an independent or assisted living facility or even a short term stay in the hospital, we recognize the additional benefits provided by a personal, professional assistant.

Our Certified Nurse Aides, 24-Hour Live-in Assistants and Home Health Aides are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We also provide the security and confidence of 24-hour Telephone Assistance, so fast, reliable help is always available when it's needed. To learn more about our homecare services see our homecare services page.

Different people need different levels of homecare. To meet the requirements of our clients, At Your Side Homecare maintains consistent staffing levels of caring professionals. Homecare service is available for as little as a few hours a week, or as many as 24 hours a day, seven days a week

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