May is Asthma Awareness Month, and it’s a good time to learn more about how asthma may be affecting your senior parent. Asthma restricts the airways and makes breathing difficult for seniors. However, not being able to breathe well can cause side effects in addition to trouble breathing.
If your senior parent has asthma, the medication that they take for asthma can cause side effects. And those medications can have bad interactions with other medications that your senior parent takes for other health conditions.
Seniors struggling with asthma may have physical and mental side effects as a result like:
- Shortness of breath
- Wheezing
- Fatigue
- Trouble sleeping
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Avoidance of leaving the house
- Decreased tolerance for cold weather
- Inability to exercise
Home care can help your senior parent deal with the side effects of asthma. One of the biggest benefits of home care assistance for seniors is light housekeeping, which can help improve indoor air quality. It’s very important to keep the indoor quality good so that being in the home doesn’t make your senior parent’s asthma worse.
Some things that can improve indoor air quality are:
Regular Dusting And Vacuuming
The most recommended way to improve indoor air quality is to vacuum and dust often, daily if possible. Seniors who are struggling with asthma will not be able to dust or vacuum. But a home care provider can. A home care provider can do light housekeeping tasks like dusting to help control your senior parent’s asthma.
Using An Air Purifier
Air purifiers are great for seniors who are living at home. Older homes often have dust, allergens, and sometimes even mold. Air purifiers get all those allergens and bits of dust out of the air so that your senior parent can breathe better. Put one in the living room and one in your senior parent’s bedroom.
Getting More Plants
Did you know that plants create oxygen, and some of them actually purify the air? Because plants use carbon dioxide and create oxygen, they are powerful air cleaners to keep in the house. Look for plants like money trees and ferns, which are very effective for improving air quality.
Washing Soft Furnishings And Linens Often
Dust doesn’t just build up on shelves, floors, and other hard surfaces. It also gets into blankets, pillows, curtains, and other soft furnishings. It’s important that all soft furnishings are washed regularly, usually once a week, in very hot water. That will kill any bacteria that could cause bad smells and get rid of dust and allergens.
Avoiding Air Fresheners And Harsh Chemical Scents
Seniors with asthma shouldn’t use air fresheners or carpet cleaners that have strong chemical scents. Those overpowering scents can cause asthma attacks and make it very difficult for seniors to breathe normally. With a home care agency, your senior parent won’t need those toxic products to make their home smell better. A clean home filled with plants, clean curtains, and blankets will smell good naturally.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Home Care in Port Gibson, MS, please contact the At Home Care staff Today! (800) 218-3509
At Home Care is a Top Provider of Senior Home Care in Port Gibson, MS, and throughout the State of MS. Our service areas include Hattiesburg, Brookhaven, Gulfport, Natchez, Gloster, McComb, Meridian, Laurel, Indianola, Tunica, Jackson and surrounding areas.