When is Flu Season Going to End?

By Andy Niska | April 26, 2019 |

The CDC just announced that the 2018/2019 flu season is the longest flu season in history. Elevated flu activity is at 21 weeks, which breaks the 2014/2015 record of 20 weeks. If your parents haven’t had the flu yet, it’s great news. They’re not completely safe yet. Eleven states are still reporting elevated flu activity.

So far, the 2018/2019 flu season has seen more than 36 million cases of the flu. Around 610,000 people have been admitted to the hospital due to their flu symptoms. The majority of those are men and women over the age of 65.

Signs of the Flu

The flu is different from a cold in several ways. The flu appears suddenly. A headache, body ache, fever, and a severe cough are common symptoms. Your parent may feel incredibly tired and lethargic. Chills may occur with the flu. Colds generally come with inflamed nasal passages and a runny nose, that’s not common in the flu.

What Do You Do If Your Parent Comes Down With the Flu?

As there still is a chance of developing the flu, you should be aware of what to do if your parent comes down with the flu. First, make sure your mom or dad rests. If the body wants to sleep, let it.

Second, keep your parent hydrated. Keep water o hand, as well as herbal teas, seltzer, and fruit juice. They need to drink around 2 liters of water each day, but that will increase if there is a fever present and a loss of body fluids through excessive sweating.

Third, call a doctor. In most cases, it’s best to stay home and rest, but the doctor may opt to prescribe an anti-viral flu medication that can ease the severity. If your parent is having a hard time breathing, seek urgent medical care.

Make Sure Your Parent is Supported at Home

While your parent recovers from the flu, make sure there is adequate support at home. Someone should be cooking meals for them and monitoring hydration. You want someone to keep the house clean and wash sweaty sheets and pillowcases. Wiping down faucets, door handles, toilet handles, and remotes with a disinfectant can help keep the spread of the flu virus to a minimum.

If you can’t take time off work, hire the services of an elder care professional. They can handle these daily tasks and alert you if symptoms worsen and need medical treatment. Call an elder care agency to discuss services while your parent recovers from the flu.

Sources:

https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/19/health/flu-longest-season-cdc-bn/index.html

If you or an aging loved one are considering in-home senior care in Spokane Valley, WA, please contact the friendly staff at Love at Home Senior Care, today. Call (509) 204-4088

Author
Recent Posts

Andy Niska

Owner at Love In Home Senior Care

Andy has over 20+ years experience in the medical community and has a true compassion for seniors. With a degree in Health Care Administration, he developed a background in a variety of health care services that only comes from first hand experience. While working as a manager of a large clinic and as an account executive for medical suppliers. Andy has built valuable relationships with the medical community.

His role in Love In Home Senior Care is to educate people on what care choice is the best fit for the senior and their family while attempting to make this decision as stress-free as possible for everyone involved.

This decision making process should be smooth and stress free for everyone, including all family members and their loved ones. Having access to people with experience (like the team at Love In Home Senior Care) to assist you along the way can help this process. With an extensive background in health care, Andy has the experience needed to guide and direct your loved one to the choice that is the best fit.