Tips For Seniors In Palm Beach County To Stay Healthy During Flu Season

Most people forget how hard the cold and flu season can hit with most of the attention paid to the dangers of the COVID-19 pandemic. Seniors aged 65 or above in Palm Beach County have a high risk of developing complications from the flu because of their weak immune systems. 

It is highly crucial to reduce seniors’ discomfort with in-home care during illness. The research conducted on this reveals that seniors in Palm Beach County account for more than half of the flu-related hospitalizations and flu-related deaths. 

Consequently, let us learn how seniors can stay healthy and safe in this cold and flu season in the article below. 

Preventing Seniors in Palm Beach County From Cold And Flu 

Avoid touching face 

It is easy for illness to enter the body quickly through senior eyes, nose, and mouth. This dangerous process can speed up if seniors in Palm Beach County touch their faces. Consequently, ask seniors to avoid touching their faces to reduce the risk of being sick in this cold and flu season. 

Wash hands often

The next crucial thing to prevent seniors from colds and flu is to wash their hands often. Washing hands often removes viruses from your hands. Ask seniors to scrub their hands for around 20 seconds and make sure that the water is not too hot. 

Distance from sick people 

To protect seniors’ health, it’s important to maintain distance from individuals who are sick. If you happen to be near someone who is ill, minimize your interaction with them and refrain from physical contact such as handshakes or hugs. Additionally, ask seniors to avoid touching objects or surfaces that the sick person has come into contact with.

Keep surroundings clean 

Germs can spread through door knobs, light switches, and other household things as multiple people come in contact with these. The key is to keep the surroundings clean and wipe off everything that gets lots of touches often. Mobile devices should also be sanitized well. Consider cleaning mobile devices with wipes. 

Wear mask

Wearing a mask is an effective way to avoid catching colds or the flu from others and to prevent spreading illnesses. Masks should properly cover both the nose and chin to ensure a snug fit. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises against using balaclavas, kerchiefs, scarves, ski masks, face shields alone, or masks with exhalation vents or valves. The CDC also specifies that surgical N95 masks should be exclusively used by healthcare providers.

Get flu shots

Compared to others, seniors in Palm Beach County are more vulnerable to dangerous complications of the flu. So, it’s always a great idea to consult with the doctor to make sure seniors do not have any health issues that will be aggravated by the vaccines.