Sepsis is a whole body response to an inflammation, and unfortunately, the older you are, the more susceptible to it you might become. It is the 11th most common cause of death in the United States, and the populations that are most vulnerable to it are newborns and the elderly. Males tend to be impacted more heavily than females, but it can be fatal to both. Being able to recognize signs of this are especially important if you are caring for an elderly loved one as treatment within the first few hours is essential to recovery. However, recent observations show that not all of the warning signs of sepsis are well known. Things like fever, pneumonia like coughing, and dizziness are common symptoms, but delirium, neurological dysfunction, and muscle weakness can also be warning signs of this illness.
In a quality nursing home, these things should be spotted right away and taken care of. But when you have a loved one in your home, it can be easy to dismiss these things as a slight illness, or as a natural part of aging. This is why it’s important that you have a professional helping you in some capacity. Having an in-home caregiver can be a huge help in these instances, as long as they are fully trained and know how to spot changes in health with accuracy. Even if you don’t think that your loved one needs senior care, having someone come and check on them once in a while when you’re away at work, or if they are by themselves for extended periods of time is smart, just as a precautionary measure.
At the very least, consulting with a doctor or a senior care specialist can be a good start here. A professional will be able to give you a more educated take on what your loved one’s needs are, and then prescribe the right course of action for them and your family. They might say that they are in perfectly fine health and that nothing is needed at the moment. That would be great. But they might see something that you do not. The aging process is not easy for some, and sometimes just the companionship of a caregiver can be a big help when it comes to mental health. This alone can do much for improving their lifestyles just because they have something to look forward to every day, they are happier, and they are more socially active. Just like we have physical and emotional needs, we have social needs. Your parents and grandparents are no different. Even if they are in good health, being alone for hours at a time is not pleasant for people. A professional caregiver can play a role here, doing much more than helping them out around the house. They can be friends, too.
The bottom line is that we can’t do it all on our own. Things like sepsis have surprise symptoms that we might not be aware of, and the end result can be disastrous. Having a second set of eyes can often reduce the amount of tragedy that occurs because of this.
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