The population of London is vast and diverse, and it has a large number of elderly people. Winter could be a challenging period for many, but elderly patients are the ones who experience winter problems more. Healthcare professionals in London will have to look after many elderly patients who are vulnerable to cold weather issues like flu, allergies, and other winter-related illnesses.
HCA Healthcare jobs London facilities offer require experts who have experience and enough skills to deal with elderly patients. We will go through ‘The Impact of Winter on Elderly Patients: A Guide for London’s Healthcare Assistants’ to make sure to be informed on every aspect of this issue.
How to provide the best care to elderly patients is a major topic that every healthcare worker should be able to answer. The UK experiences moderately cold weather throughout most of the year. The chance of an increase in illnesses and death rates is higher among elderly patients due to the cold weather and humid climate. Most elderly people experience difficulties when their body can’t regulate its temperature, blood pressure, and immune system.
Underlying health issues could also become the reason for the increased health complications for elderly people. Heart disease, diabetes, respiratory problems, and more underlying issues can make an elderly person’s body more vulnerable to winter diseases and can cause higher-level complications in healthcare management.
We need to understand every aspect of the problem first to mitigate it. We will go through some of the most common issues faced by elderly patients.
Hypothermia
Loss of consciousness, along with confusion, drowsiness, and slurred speech, is common among elderly patients when they experience a sudden drop in temperature. It mostly happens when the temperature drops below 35°C. The situation of hypothermia could become disastrous if timely care is not provided adequately.
Frostbite
The skin and tissues are the first body parts that get affected by cold weather. Extremely cold weather can result in the freezing of tissues and skin. Elderly people are more prone to this issue since they might already have wrinkled and soft skin. Frostbite results in issues like pain, numbness, blisters, and tissue damage. Extreme-level frostbite can even lead to amputation if you fail to treat it properly.
Physical falls
The elderly people a healthcare worker has to deal with might be suffering from several health conditions, like poor visibility and reduced mobility. Above all, winter is when you will find slippery surfaces everywhere, and older people might fall in winter due to every above-mentioned issue. A fall can end them up in a situation with fractures, bruises, head injuries, and a loss of confidence.
Flu
Older people experience a lot of issues due to their weak immune systems, and a problem like the flu can affect their respiratory system. It is a viral infection that results in cough, sore throat, fever, muscle ache, and headache. The condition could become serious in people with weak immune systems and chronic conditions.
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is a life-threatening condition of bacterial or viral infection that inflames the lungs in people of any age. The situation will be serious when it comes to elderly people, and it is disastrous for those with lung diseases and low oxygen levels.
Any healthcare recruitment agency London incorporates in its medical sector ensures the hiring of the best healthcare professionals who can work well with elderly people under any circumstances. You have a very critical role in taking care of and supporting elderly patients during the winter as a healthcare assistant in London. The next section of this article will help you get an elaborate idea of how to take good care of older patients.
Regular check-up
Keeping the elderly under observation at a regular interval is a major procedure you should conduct. Regular temperature checks should be conducted to avoid hypothermia or frostbite. You can do the primary first aid actions, like providing them warmth through blankets and warm drinks, after calling for emergency medical support.
Make them take yearly vaccine intakes.
You can motivate older people to take flu vaccines that are free for people aged 65 and above in the UK. Vaccines are a great way to reduce the risk of getting affected by the flu and reduce its effect on the body since winter can make the body weak in several ways.
Keeping the surroundings comfortable
Maintaining a comfortable temperature in the living spaces of elderly people is a major thing you should not neglect as a healthcare worker. Preventing heat loss by utilizing curtains, rugs, draft excluders, and insulation is an effective way to keep the room temperature under control during the winter. Experts suggest maintaining a temperature of 18°C for living rooms and 16°C for bedrooms.
Personal hygiene assistance and wound care
Wound care and personal hygiene are two things that most elderly people struggle with. This will be more difficult due to the reduced mobility and pain due to the cold weather. You need to assist them in their bath, dressing, and application of bandages with gentle and respectful care. Always remember to maintain their dignity intact while preventing infections through proper care.
Timely medication and enough nutrition
Elderly patients could forget to take their medications on time, or they might not feel the appetite to eat enough food. Making them follow the correct routine for taking medication while encouraging them to have enough food and fluids to stay healthy should be your priority as a healthcare assistant.
More to consider while taking care of the elderly
Providing elderly patients with emotional support and camaraderie is one major thing you should never forget to take care of during the winter or under any weather condition. Never let them fall into depression due to the lack of social contact. Always make time to listen to their concerns, engage in activities that they are interested in, and make them interact with others.
Any nursing agency London will hire only those who have the right skills and experience to look after all kinds of people. Someone who can look after elderly patients in any circumstance is what every facility needs. Since winter is a tough period for older people, you should be in charge of making their lives a lot easier.
