Hand Hygeine

Hand hygeine is an important health preventative for everyone to remember, but is especially important in the elderly.  With a decline in +mental processing or +physical decline in health, toileting can present challenges that were not there before.  Because of this, hand hygeine can also be a problem.  With failing vision or memory, hand hygeine can be forgotten, hands not washed long enough to remove germs, or under nails improperly cleaned.  Improper hand washing can spread germs easily, but this can be especially problematic among the elderly.  +Norovirus, +flu virus, +staph infection, and +ecoli are all easily spread but improper handwashing and can all be potentially fatal among those with weakened immune systems.  Norovirus can cause fatal electrolyte imbalance and dehydration or even aspiration.  Staph infection can be threatening with thinning skin and poor skin integrity, where a skin abrasion or tear could lead to staph contamination from scratching. Ecoli can cause severe gastric illness and flu can be difficult to overcome in the elderly. Ensuring that your loved one keeps their nails trimmed and has a nail brush to clean under nails is also helpful when emphasizing hygeine.  +Hand Sanitizers are helpful in reducing the spread of germs, but should not replace the importance of hand washing with antibacterial soaps.