You may not worry about sunburn too much in the Winter months, but that doesn’t mean that skin gets a free ride all season without any special care. In fact, winter skin issues are more common and more difficult to avoid without proper care and prevention.
Making sure your senior has healthy skin all winter long will require constant care, and home care can help.
Common Winter Skin Problems for the Elderly
The root of most winter skin problems centers around dry skin. Forced heat and hot baths to stay warm can all dry out skin so much that it causes a host of other issues, such as extreme itchiness, cracked skin, open sores, and skin conditions such as eczema or rosacea often flare up and worsen in the cold winter months.
Dry skin can affect all areas of the body, but the three areas that are often the worst hit are the hands, feet, and face. Working with your loved one and her home care provider to practice daily preventative care can reduce the risk of your loved one becoming extremely uncomfortable in her skin and even protect her from other health complications, such as infections.
Caring for skin in the Winter
Caring for your loved one’s skin this winter is two-fold: Avoiding some behaviors and participating in others. By helping your loved one make changes in their daily living activities, you can help prevent some of the worst side effects of dry skin.
Four Things Not To Do This Winter to Prevent Dry Skin
- Taking hot baths and showers. While cold temperatures might make a hot bath and shower seem inviting, that hot water can dry out skin quickly and make it difficult for it to absorb the moisture it needs.
- Using harsh chemicals. The skin can be more sensitive in the winter, so consider switching to soaps and detergents that are kinder to your loved one’s skin.
- Stop drinking water. While many people focus on staying hydrated in the hot summer months, it’s just as important in the cold months. Your loved one needs to stay hydrated internally to help their skin get the moisture it needs from the body.
- Wear too much wool. While wool can be great at keeping a person warm, it is also often highly irritating to sensitive skin.
Four Things to Do This Winter to Treat Dry Skin
- Lotion, lotion, lotion, but not just any lotion. Use creams and ointments that are thicker and more penetrating. If your loved one has areas of her body she can’t reach, have a home care provider help when they visit. A home care provider can apply lotion to her back or feet as needed if she can’t reach them.
- Use a humidifier. Dry air leads to dry skin. A humidifier can add moisture back to the air.
- Change bathing habits. Winter is a good time to switch to showering every other day or making showers shorter. It’s also important not to use water that’s too hot.
- Drink plenty of fluids. If cold water isn’t appealing, have your loved one’s home care provider make her a hot cup of decaffeinated tea or even cook up some broth-based soup.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Home Care in Lorton, VA, please contact the caring staff at Access Home Care Inc today! Call (703) 765-9350
Access Home Care provider in Arlington, Alexandria, Leesburg, Reston, Herndon, Manassas, Ashburn, Falls Church, McLean, Lorton, Springfield, Woodbridge, Fairfax, Virginia and the surrounding communities.
“My desire to enter into nursing started when one of my older sisters died of kidney disease due to lack of care. At age 15, I decided to enter into nursing so that I could provide quality care to patients.Upon arrival in United States at 21 years of age, I enrolled in T.C Willliams School of Practical Nursing while working as a nursing assistant at a nursing home. I also worked as a part-time home health aide to take of the elderly. After completion of my practical nurse education, I worked in geriatric psychiatry unit at Dominion Hospital and Arlington Correctional facility mental health unit.
I completed Marymount University in 2001 and entered into Home Care as a field case manager.
I held that position for 2 years and as an Administrator, and for another 2 years until Access Home Care was found in 2004."
Today, Access Home Care has over 300 employees and 286 clients.
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