Remember when you were small and your parent reminded you to wash your hands? Well, as a family caregiver to your aging parent, you may find yourself doing the same thing these days, especially in the wake of the coronavirus. But, even if you’re certain your parent is washing their hands frequently, are you certain they are doing it right? Below are some common mistakes that people make when washing their hands.
Not Using Enough Soap
When washing hands, it’s important to use enough soap to work up a good lather. The soap is what kills the germs, so skimping could lead to an incomplete wash. Your parent should be wetting their hands under clean running water, then applying a generous amount of soap. The dollop of soap should be somewhere between the size of a nickel and a quarter. It isn’t necessary to use antibacterial soap. Then, hands should be lathered up well to create the friction necessary to clean hands and remove germs.
Missing Parts of the Hand
Many people just wash the palms of their hands, but to truly remove the germs that can cause illness, they need to scrub every part of the hand. This includes the palms, backs of the hands, fingers, between the fingers, and under the nails. Keep a soft nail brush near the sink to help your parent get nails clean.
Not Washing Enough
Your parent may think they wash their hands frequently, but it may not be often enough. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends washing hands at these times:
- Before, during, and after preparing food.
- Before eating.
- Before and after caring for someone who is ill.
- Before and after treating a cut or wound.
- After using the toilet.
- After changing diapers or cleaning a child who has used the toilet.
- After blowing nose, coughing, or sneezing.
- After handling an animal, their waste, or their food or treats.
- After touching garbage.
In addition, during the coronavirus pandemic, it’s also a good idea to wash hands at these times:
- After being in a public place where the senior may have touched a cart handle, door, or counter.
- Before touching the face since germs can be transferred from the hands to the nose, mouth, or eyes where they can enter the body.
If you’re concerned about your elderly parent’s safety during the coronavirus pandemic, senior care can help to keep them safer. Senior care providers can not only help them to wash their hands thoroughly, they can also assist with disinfecting surfaces in the home. Senior care can also see to the emotional health of your aging relative as social distancing can lead to loneliness. By having a senior care provider visit regularly, your parent has contact with someone they can talk to and spend some time with. In fact, a senior care provider can even spend a little extra time just chatting, doing an activity, or playing a hand of cards.
If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring Senior Care in Charleston, SC, contact Heart of the Carolinas Home Care at 864-991-3116. Providing Home Care Services in Greenville, Simpsonville, Greer, Anderson, Spartanburg, Mauldin, Seneca, Laurens, Charleston, Columbia and the surrounding areas.
Sources
https://blogs.webmd.com/webmd-doctors/20200428/6-mistakes-that-could-be-sabotaging-your-hand-washing
https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/when-how-handwashing.html
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