When allergy season rolls around again, you may notice that your elderly loved one is sneezing or coughing more than usual. While allergies can be nothing more than a mild annoyance to some, they can quickly develop into something more serious for older adults, especially if they are also on other medications. In this article, we share with you how you can help your elderly loved one deal with an allergy.
Recognizing the Symptoms of an Allergy
If your loved one has a pre-existing respiratory illness, it can be easy to mistake allergy symptoms for their existing condition. However, doing so can mean that you overlook the seriousness of their condition. Below are some symptoms of allergies to watch out for:
- Sneezing
- Watery or itchy eyes
- A stuffed or runny nose
- A sore throat or itchy ear canals
- Rashes
- Ear congestion
One thing to remember is that individuals can develop allergies at any point in their lives. Just because your loved one didn’t have an allergy before doesn’t mean you should rule it out completely.
How to Reduce Exposure to Triggers
When you notice that your loved one has an allergy, the first thing to do would be to identify the triggers. Do they tend to sneeze a lot after they have been in nature? If so, pollen could be the culprit. Or if your loved one has a wheezing spell after sorting through some things in the attic, they could be allergic to dust.
Indoors, make sure to clean all rooms and surfaces regularly to reduce the build-up of dust and mold. Another thing would be to ensure that there’s adequate ventilation in the house. If your elderly parent is allergic to pine trees, grass, or pollen, a good practice would be to get them to change their clothes after being outdoors so that they are not carrying their allergens around all day.
How Allergies Can Impact Older Adults
An allergy can quickly turn into something more serious for an older adult, especially if they are taking other medications. Antihistamines are one of the most common medications for allergies, however, they can cause unwanted side effects such as dizziness and increased urinary retention. In addition, if your loved one is on other medications such as beta-blockers, this can cause undesired reactions.
Turn to Discovery Village At The West End for Senior Assisted Living and Respite Care
Medication management is an important aspect of keeping healthy for individuals who have medical prescriptions, especially if there are a few different types in their repertoire. It can be hard staying on top of them all as someone without the relevant knowledge, and you may worry about your loved one as a result. When they make the move to senior assisted living at Discovery Village At The West End, you can rest assured that our trained and experienced team members will take over medication management on their behalf. If you are going to be away for a short while, senior respite care will offer your loved one the same benefits!
