April 2, 2020
When your senior experiences a bout of nausea, fresh air can help. If possible, turn on a fan or open a window. Air conditioning can help, too. In a pinch, you can use a piece of paper to fan air near your senior’s face. Be sure that you don’t overwhelm her. If she’s comfortable other than the nausea, other solutions might be helpful.
Cool compresses are very comforting and if your elderly family member is feeling nauseated, she might be feeling a bit clammy. Try dampening a cloth with cool water and place it in spots where your senior might find it helpful. Some spots to consider might be the back of her neck, her forehead, or her upper chest. It’s important that the cloth isn’t dripping wet. Damp and cool is the goal.
If nausea is a common problem for your elderly family member, you might want to reconsider snacks and meals. Cooler foods can sometimes help, such as yogurt or cottage cheese. Lighter meals may be a good idea, too. Sometimes sipping broth is soothing to the stomach, at least until the nausea passes.
Medications and their side effects can be a part of the issue for your elderly family member. Talk to her doctor about the nausea she’s experiencing. Sometimes health conditions can contribute to nausea, too. If there have been any changes to the dosages of your senior’s medications or to how or when she’s taking them, that could be part of the problem.
You might need to keep a food diary for a week or so, just to see if there might be some other issue at play. Food allergies are a lot more common for older adults than most people realize. Other possible causes could include smells or situations that cause a response in your senior’s body. When you’re looking at all of the possible options, you’re more likely to find an answer.
When you’re trying to track down something this tricky, you might not be there for every situation. Elder care providers can be a real help, especially with tracking situations.
