Mosquito Bites + Elderly Mother = Trouble
When you were growing up, you probably used to spend all of your summer days outside, running around with the other kids in the neighborhood, playing ball in the street or chasing each other around until your mom called you to come in for dinner. Sometimes when you came inside, I’m sure you noticed that you picked up a few new summer skin additions too: mosquito bites.
Homecare Drexel Hill PA – Mosquito Bites + Elderly Mother = Trouble
We’ve all had them, and we all continue to get them even as adults. The itchy feeling that you just can’t resist scratching is all too familiar to all of us. What you might not know, though, is that these same, seemingly harmless nuisances can actually be very dangerous for the elderly.
If you are providing homecare for an aging mother, you probably know to have her put on sunscreen before she goes outside. But what about bug spray? Studies have shown that mosquito bites can be a serious problem in the elderly for many reasons, many of which evolve around your aging mother’s compromised immune system.
Take a look at the list below to find out why.
Contamination – Mosquito “bites” are actually more like injection sites. A mosquito draws blood from the place where they stick you, and they use that blood to make nests for their offspring. They replace the blood with their own fluids, which can sometimes contain viruses like Zika or malaria. While these viruses aren’t terribly common in the U.S., the possibility of contracting an illness from a mosquito bite is not as rare as one would like to think.
Allergic reactions – Believe it or not, some people are allergic to mosquito bites. As if that itchy red bump wasn’t enough of a reaction, they could also have a much larger area or itching, swollen lymph nodes, hives, and a swollen throat. One who is allergic to mosquito bites could even go into anaphylactic shock, so if your loved one has this allergy, you should be aware of it and be prepared to take action.
Infections – As mentioned above, it is next to impossible not to scratch a mosquito bite. They are just so darn itchy!! If you do scratch them, however, and scratch them to the extreme, you could scratch off the top of the bug bite, leaving on open wound. This wound can then be a way for bacteria to get into your loved one’s body, making them sick. With a compromised immune system, what started off as just a minor annoyance can quickly turn into something deadly.
As your mother’s caregiver, providing homecare for her, you can prevent all of these things (or at least reduce the likelihood of them) by taking precautions when your mother goes outside. Things like putting mosquito netting around the porch, spraying you both with bug spray before you go outside for an extended period of time, and using citronella candles can all help to keep your mother safe from the complications caused by mosquito bites. If your mother does get a mosquito bite anyway, though, and you suspect that it is causing a more serious problem, don’t hesitate to call a doctor.
Source: www.mosquitomagnet.com/articles/when-a-small-bite-turns-into-a-big-problem
If you or an aging loved one are considering Homecare Services in Drexel Hill PA, please contact the caring staff at True Direct Home Health Care today.
Doc, as he is called by everyone - staff, patients and clients - first experienced home health care and hospice care while as a colleg student at King's College as he cared for his mother every day while she first battled COPD and then lung cancer. It was during this time that he came to understand that caring for a patient was more than just clinical expertise.
"Admittedly, my strongest attribute is my communication skills and the simple fact that I love to help people. Even the smallest thing you can do for someone really can mean so much to them long term. In fact, it could change them forever. That's what providing quality personal home health care should be all about."
In his spare time, he cooks for homeless shelters and children's music and arts events. He also is highly involved in his local youth sports soccer academy as a coach and Board member.
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