May is Lupus Awareness Month and it’s a good time for seniors and their family members to learn more about how Lupus affects seniors and how seniors can manage their Lupus flares. Typically Lupus is diagnosed when people are younger, but one study found that almost 20% of the people diagnosed with Lupus in a year were over the age of 50. Lupus is a progressive and debilitating autoimmune disease. When seniors have Lupus flares it can make life very difficult for them. Senior home care is recommended for seniors with Lupus. Senior home care can help when seniors are unable to do things like cook meals, clean the house, or take care of pets. Some things that seniors can do to manage their Lupus flares include:
Get Enough Rest
One of the best things that seniors can do to manage a Lupus flare is get enough rest. When Lupus flares happen they can cause extreme fatigue. Seniors may be so tired they have a hard time getting out of bed. If that happens then seniors should stay in bed and rely on senior home care and family caregivers to manage the household. Rest will help seniors recover faster from a Lupus flare. Family members should try to understand that during a Lupus flare seniors may be physically unable to get up or do their usual activities. Giving seniors the time and space to rest is important during a flare.
Eat An Appropriate Diet
Lupus is an autoimmune disease, so eating a diet designed to avoid triggering an autoimmune response is often recommended. An anti-inflammatory diet usually contains a lot of vegetables, lean protein, and healthy fats with very few grains or carbohydrates. Limiting carbs and increasing protein can help seniors avoid any Lupus flares that could be caused by eating a lot of processed foods or foods with a lot of sugar and salt in them.
Stay Out Of The Sun
The sun can trigger Lupus flares, which means that during the spring and summer seniors with Lupus should limit the amount of time they spend outside and avoid bright fluorescent or halogen lights. Seniors should always wear a sun hat and skin protection when they go outside. And they should also wear hats if they’re going to be out in the sun. If seniors do need to go out they should only go out during the morning or evening when the sun isn’t as intense.
Use Hot And Cold Packs
When seniors do develop a Lupus flare they can use topical medicines like pain relieving creams along with hot and cold packs to help manage the pain. Heat will sooth sore muscles and help relax them while cold packs will increase blood flow and improve circulation, which can reduce the pain in sore joints. Some topical creams or gels that increase blood flow can work the same as heat packs and cold packs but usually having separate heat and ice packs is more practical for seniors when it comes to controlling pain.
If you are considering senior home care in Houston, TX for an aging loved one, please call the caring staff at At Your Side Home Care. We will answer all of your senior care questions. Call today: (832) 271-1600.
At Your Side Home Care, provides exceptional home care for seniors and families in Houston, West Houston, Katy, Memorial, The Heights, Spring Valley, Garden Oaks, Hunters Creek, River Oaks, Hilshire Village, Galleria, Cinco Ranch, Spring Branch, Sugar Land, Missouri City, Richmond, Rosenburg, Piney Point, Bay City and surrounding areas.
Our Certified Nurse Aides, 24-Hour Live-in Assistants and Home Health Aides are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We also provide the security and confidence of 24-hour Telephone Assistance, so fast, reliable help is always available when it's needed. To learn more about our homecare services see our homecare services page.
Different people need different levels of homecare. To meet the requirements of our clients, At Your Side Homecare maintains consistent staffing levels of caring professionals. Homecare service is available for as little as a few hours a week, or as many as 24 hours a day, seven days a week
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