Are Shingles Really a Serious Risk for Your Aging Parent?

Whether you have been caring for your aging parent for many years, or just getting started in your caregiver journey, one issue you have likely heard a considerable amount about is shingles. This condition is often touted as one of the most serious risks a senior faces, and you are likely often giving recommendations for how it to prevent shingles, detect them, and care for senior who is living with them. As a caregiver, you want to make sure your senior stays as healthy as possible as they age in place, but you may not truly understand how serious or risk this condition is. By understanding what shingles is, how your parents can contracted, and the impact it can make on your parent, you can better recognize the importance of preventing it, and giving your senior effective care should they it contract it.

Some things you should know about shingles and their risk for your parent include:

• One out of every three people in the United States will develop shingles at some point in their life. This is a full 30 percent of the total population
• Approximately one million people throughout the United States suffer shingles each year
• Though people of any age can and do develop shingles, most people who do are older, and the risk for developing it increases each year
• People with suppressed immune systems are at higher risk for developing shingles
• If your senior has had chickenpox, they already have the virus inside them and could develop shingles at any time
• Though most people only experience shingles once, some do have recurring episodes of the disease
• Shingles can result in a very serious complication known as postherpetic neuralgia, or PHN. This condition results in severe pain and diminished physical capacity that can last for weeks, months, or even years after shingles is resolved

If you have been trying to find ways to improve your parent’s health, and help them to stay healthier as they age, starting elderly care for them can be a fantastic step. An elderly home care services provider can help your parent pursue a healthier lifestyle in a variety of ways, enabling them to take better control of their health, and enjoy a more fulfilling life as they age in place. Some of these services include helping your parent eat a good diet on a regular basis, including staying hydrated, supporting good sleep and exercise habits, devising and maintaining a germ control approach, helping your parent keep the home clean, and more. As a family caregiver this can give you peace of mind and reduce your stress as you care for your senior.

If you are considering elderly care in Waterbury, CT for your aging parent, please contact the caring staff at Franciscan Ever There Care. Call today 203-630-2881.