Shingles is a painful rash that is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox. While many people in the younger generations have received the chickenpox vaccine and thus never contracted the virus, many individuals in the elderly community had chickenpox as a child or young person and thus carry the virus. Once a person has chickenpox, they can carry the virus for years and never experience any symptoms. Then one day, it rears its ugly head and shows up in a new form – shingles. Senior home care providers can step in to help them with chores while battling shingles.
Shingles Symptoms
Shingles can appear anywhere on the body, but it has a few favorite places to appear. It is most commonly found wrapping itself around one side of the torso, or possibly one side of the neck or face, or around one eye.
Your loved one will know he’s battling shingles if he has any of these symptoms:
- A sensation of pain, tingling, and burning. This sensation often occurs before the rash shows up.
- An area of his body might be extremely sensitive to touch, where even just his shirt brushing up against it can be painful.
- A red rash that has fluid-filled blisters that break open and then crust over (but not everyone gets the rash).
- Extreme itchiness in the rash area, but also extremely painful to try to scratch it.
Other symptoms that may come with the onset of shingles can include:
- Sensitivity to Light
- Headache
- Fever
- Fatigue
The pain with shingles may be so intense that your loved one may confuse it with something more serious happening in his body, like a problem with his heart or kidneys.
Shingles Risk Factors
The most common risk factor is having had chicken pox at one point in life. Other risk factors that may increase the likelihood of a shingles outbreak are age, a weakened immune system, and some medications.
Providing Help During Recovery
One thing many people say when they’ve had shingles is that they didn’t know it was going to be as painful as it was, and they didn’t realize how miserable they’d feel. For some people, it can take weeks of feeling lousy and miserable before they start to feel better.
If your elderly loved one develops shingles, it can help to be prepared to support him around the home as he recovers. A senior home care provider can be arranged to assist him with various home chores as he recovers. If he is feeling especially fatigued, a senior home care provider can assist with pet care, do light cleaning, and even help him make some healthy meals to provide his body with the nutrients it needs during this time.
Your elderly loved one can also talk to his doctor about the best way to manage the pain and itching often associated with shingles. His doctor may prescribe some medications, but there are also some self-care steps your loved one can take at home to help him through the worst of it. These options may include soaking in an oatmeal bath to soothe his skin, applying cool compresses to the affected areas, and using calamine lotion after the blisters have broken open and scabbed over to calm the itchiness.
Most people recover in 2-6 weeks, but if your loved one’s symptoms are extremely painful or if the rash is close to his eye, make sure to get medical attention right away.
If you or an aging loved one is considering Senior Home Care Services in Marietta, GA, please get in touch with the caring staff at Senior Solutions Home Care. (404) 266-8773
Senior Solutions Home Care is a Trusted Home Care Agency serving Atlanta, Palmetto, Alpharetta, Chattahoochee Hills, Milton, College Park, Sandy Springs, Roswell, Hapeville, Johns Creek, and all of Fulton County.
Over the years, we have expanded, providing service in all 95 counties throughout Tennessee, and we now have a growing presence in Georgia.
Senior Solutions is recognized as a top 5% independent agency and a three-time Inc. 5000 honoree in 2018, 2019, and 2020. These types of awards matter to us because they show growth in our goal of eventually touching a million lives. We’re excited to continue that growth and to touch even more families with our commitment to quality care!
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