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Hand Hygiene Day

Elder-Care-in-Rahway-NJ

Elder Care in Rahway NJ

May 5 is Hand Hygiene Day. If you are on an elder care journey with your aging parent, this is the perfect opportunity for you to learn more about the importance of handwashing and germ control Elder-Care-in-Rahway-NJ in your care efforts. Just using proper hand hygiene can dramatically reduce the chances of your aging parent contracting serious infections and illnesses, and helps you to prevent the spread of these germs and infections outside of your care relationship as well.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, all people should wash their hands thoroughly before or after certain actions or events, including:

  • Before, after, and throughout food preparation
  • Before eating
  • Before and after coming into contact with anyone who is ill
  • Before and after caring for a wound, cut, or other injury
  • After using the restroom or helping someone else use the restroom
  • After changing a diaper or incontinence garment
  • After sneezing, coughing, blowing your nose, or wiping your nose
  • Before and after touching your eyes
  • After coming into any contact with an animal, including petting, feeding, watering, or cleaning up after it
  • After touching any form of pet food or treats
  • After touching any form of garbage

 

Ideally, you should wash your hands using soap and running water. Scrub for at least 20 seconds and then rinse. Avoid drying your hands on a multi-use towel or anything damp. If soap and water are not available, it is important to clean your hands using a hand sanitizer. While there are many of these products available on the market, they can be expensive and many contain harsh chemicals that are irritating to the skin. Some even contain antibacterial properties that research now shows actually foster the growth and strength of viruses and germs, making them more resistant and therefore more dangerous.

Instead, try making your own. This gel is highly effective but not damaging to the skin. It also has a pleasant, natural scent. Make several bottles so that you can keep them around the house as well as in a day bag for you and your parent’s elderly health care services provider to use when out and about with your aging loved one.

 

What You Will Need

  • 1/4 of a teaspoon of Vitamin E, which can be found at most pharmacies in an oil based form
  • 8 ounces of pure 100% aloe vera gel
  • 5 to 10 drops of lavender EO (essential oil)
  • 30 drops of tea tree EO at 0.5% concentration
  • 1 tablespoon of witch hazel extract or high alcohol proof vodka
  • A small glass bowl
  • A squeeze bottle
  • A funnel

 

What to Do

  • In the small bowl, add the Vitamin E, lavender oil and tea tree oil together
  • Mix well using a spoon
  • Add the witch hazel, or alcohol if using, to the mix
  • Mix well; making sure that the witch hazel is fully mixed in
  • Add the aloe vera gel to the small bowl
  • Mix the aloe vera gel with the oil mix in the bowl by hand
  • Make sure to scrunch the gel with the oils to get them deep inside
  • Open the top of the squeeze bottle and place the plastic funnel in the top
  • Pour the aloe vera mix into the squeeze bottle, through the funnel
  • Shake the bottle to mix
  • Shake gently before every use

 

If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring elder care in Rahway, NJ, call the caring staff at Helping Hands Home Care today at 908-418-4299. Providing Home Care Services in all of Northern and Central NJ, including Clark, Westfield, Cranford, Scotch Plains, Rahway, Linden, Summit, Edison, Elizabeth, Mountainside and the surrounding areas.

 

Source:  http://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/when-how-handwashing.html

Robert D'Arienzo

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