It is often seen that the elderly person in the family
suddenly dies of pneumonia, or becomes so sick that he has to be taken to the
ICU of the hospital.
Various respiratory problems are seen as obstacles to
our healthy lifestyle. Among them, pneumonia - meaning inflammation of the
lungs - is one of the most dangerous. Pneumonia can be caused by any type of
germ, be it bacteria, virus or fungus. This problem is a serious disease for
children and the elderly. Therefore, our awareness can avoid accidents.
Just as we have to be aware of children, we have to
pay special attention to the prevention of pneumonia while taking care of the
elderly person in the house. Then, even if he is lying in bed, he will not feel
unwell.
Experts warn that people with diabetes, asthma, or
chronic bronchitis, those who have undergone chemotherapy or are taking
immune-modulating drugs, those who cannot walk, or those who are bedridden are
at higher risk of developing pneumonia.
Paralyzed patients cannot swallow food and water
properly. This can cause sudden food or water aspiration into the lungs, which
is dangerous. This is called aspiration pneumonia. Often, due to the inability
of a bedridden elderly person to cough up their own saliva and phlegm, it
enters the respiratory tract, causing pneumonia.
# Therefore, great caution is required in caring for
an elderly person in any family.
1. Do
not feed in a hurry. Ask them to eat slowly. Never feed while lying down or
half-lying down. Feed them by sitting up or raising their back with pillows. If
there is a lot of difficulty in swallowing food, consult a doctor about using a
nasal tube instead of force-feeding. This is especially true for stroke
patients.
2. Check
whether diabetes is under control. Infections are more likely to occur when
sugar levels rise. Elderly people suffer from malnutrition because they cannot
eat. Plan a balanced diet with the right calories. Sometimes, if hemoglobin,
protein and vitamins in the blood decrease, it is possible to replenish it.
3. It
is better to not let sick and elderly people sneeze/cough in the house, and to
restrict the entry of outsiders. Cleanliness should be maintained in the care.
4. It
is better for elderly, weak and sick people to get pneumococcal and influenza
vaccines. This reduces the risk to a great extent.
5. If
you experience symptoms such as fever, cough, shortness of breath, sudden loss
of consciousness, incoherent behavior, blueness of the tip of the tongue and
nose, etc., seek medical attention immediately. Even a minor cold, cough, and
fever can be dangerous for the elderly. Medicines should be taken in the
correct dosage and within the prescribed period.
6. You
can get the pneumonia vaccine to reduce the risk.
# This problem can appear suddenly in winter. So
always take special care of the health of the elderly person from the beginning
of winter. Do not neglect it thinking it is a minor cold-cough-fever. For a
young person, it is a minor matter, but for an elderly person, it can become serious.
It can also be the cause of death.
An elderly person can become bedridden at any time!
Then he needs special care. And then the matter of fulfilling the
responsibilities of other family members comes to the fore. There is no matter
of humanity that is important here - it is a duty and responsibility.
When
the patient is bedridden --
I have seen from my own experience - an elderly person
in the family falls into bed for a long time due to paralysis or stroke,
fracture, surgery or any other long-term disease. At this time, pressure sores
or bedsores create additional problems.
And what the doctor says when I go to the doctor for
advice -
This bedsore is not only painful and uncomfortable,
but also increases complications and suffering due to infection. Pressure sores
are usually more common on the back of the shoulder, elbow, waist, upper back
of the anus and the back of the ankle.
Due to being bedridden for a long time, the movement
of the limbs is reduced, and abnormalities in blood circulation occur. The
supply of nutrients and oxygen to the paralyzed or lying limbs is obstructed.
This is why such wounds are created.
If there is a bedridden patient at home, the
prevention of these ulcers should be taken especially seriously while providing
care.
Therefore,
it is necessary to know some rules -
1) Change
in physical condition - Tilt the patient to the right and left every two hours.
Sometimes turn him/her. If necessary, change the patient's position repeatedly
with multiple caregivers. This reduces the pressure on the skin and muscles in
the same area and reduces the risk of pressure ulcers.
2) Keep
the skin clean - The drier and cleaner the skin, the less likely it is to
develop pressure ulcers. Therefore, clean the skin with a little soap in
lukewarm water. Then dry the area with a towel. Do not rub too hard, clean
gently.
3) Use
pillows - Use pillows between the knees and between the hands while lying on
your back.
4) Exercise
- Many people do not think that they can exercise while lying in bed. But if
you do some exercises on the patient's hands, feet, and waist, the risk of
getting sores is greatly reduced. For example, raise the waist up and hold it
for 10 seconds and then lower it. Do this repeatedly. Repeatedly straighten and
bend the elbow, clench and unclench the fingers, rotate the feet clockwise and
counterclockwise, etc. It is important to follow the above rules to overcome
this health problem in a healthy way – to lead a healthy life.
