Simple Tips for a Healthier and Safer Thanksgiving Holiday

 November 8, 2018

 

Thanksgiving is a favorite time for many families.
This is an opportunity for you to gather with loved ones and make treasured memories while enjoying traditions from years past. As you are preparing for the Thanksgiving holiday, it is important to keep in mind health and safety needs. You don’t want your joyous holiday celebration being ruined by an unexpected illness or injury. As a family caregiver, this can be particularly important. Fortunately, simple choices and habits can help to prevent issues such as illness, foodborne infection, injuries, and other problems so you can enjoy your time together.

 

Try these simple tips for a healthier and safer Thanksgiving holiday:

• Make sure everyone washes their hands frequently during the holiday. This helps to keep seasonal illness and infection under control, as well as the potential for foodborne illness and infection.
• Consider placing containers of hand sanitizing gel throughout the home to make it easy for everyone to control germs multiple times throughout the day.
• Wear gloves when dealing with raw turkey, and do not touch anything else with those gloves. Take them off by turning them inside out by the wrists.
• Stay warm outside and in. Make sure the home is equipped with sufficient heating, and that your family stays dry and warm at all times. This can help to prevent potentially serious health issues, particularly for your elderly adult. Make sure heating is safe by having a carbon monoxide detector in the home, never leaving a fire unattended, and keeping space heaters safely away from flammable materials.
• Control stress as much as possible. Stress increases the chance for illness and makes it harder to focus, which can lead to injury.
• Keep the people in the kitchen to a minimum. Too many people in the kitchen can lead to injuries such as burns and cuts, and also increases the possibility of cross-contamination and infections.
• Make the home a no-smoking zone to protect everyone from the dangers and discomfort of breathing in smoke.

 

 

Getting help can be key to a successful and enjoyable Thanksgiving.

Now that you are a family caregiver for an elderly adult, you are managing all of your usual needs for the holiday season, while also fulfilling your senior’s care needs as well.

Reaching out to a home care specialist can make a tremendous difference. An in-home senior care services provider can be with your parent to provide a highly personalized set of services tailored specifically to their needs.

These services can help your parent to manage their challenges and limitations, protect their health and well-being, and enjoy better emotional health and more independence throughout the season and beyond. As a family caregiver, knowing your senior has this assistance can relieve your stress and will allow you to focus on other aspects of the holiday season with more confidence and less worry.

 

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring a Caregiver in Fox Chapel, PA, please contact the caring staff at In-Home Quality Care today.
Serving the Greater Pittsburgh Area since 1990! Call 412-421-5202

Source:
CDC.gov