Did you know that keeping elderly skin healthy and protected is one of the best ways to contribute to your aging mom or dad’s overall health and wellness? During National Healthy Skin Month, it’s an excellent time to learn more about how you and your elderly parent can treat their skin properly and incorporate several tips on skin care. The results will help their skin resist microbes and bacteria and positively contribute to all the demands that the body puts onto the skin. Here are 7 tips for aging skin and how family caregivers can keep aging skin healthy and protected.
1. Cleanse regularly: Aging skin has decreased elasticity and thickness, making it more prone to a number of diseases and disorders. At the same time, many soaps and body washes are full of irritants, perfumes and dyes that can harm the skin. When choosing a body wash, make sure it is manufactured for gentle or sensitive skin for best results.
2. Moisturize frequently: The skin simply doesn’t function as well as it once did when it comes to retaining moisture. It’s common for seniors to have chronic dry skin. A good moisturizer applied every day and after showers or baths can help keep skin supple and smooth.
3. Nutritious diet: What an elderly person eats has a direct impact on how healthy their skin is. A nutritious diet with plenty of water to drink will help aging skin be as healthy as possible.
4. Skin irritations: Sometimes, elderly people develop skin conditions that are difficult to treat. These could result in scaly patches, rashes, red spots and itching. Examples include rosacea, psoriasis and eczema. Family caregivers need to consult with a doctor or dermatologist to get their elderly relative the proper medication to treat the skin conditions.
5. Sun protection: Because aging skin is so thin, it doesn’t take much for the sun’s ultraviolet rays to inflict severe sunburn. Elderly adults should always wear a layer of sunblock if they are going to be spending even a little time outside in sunny weather. Sunburns may not be a big deal to younger people, but in seniors they can significantly affect the health of the skin.
6. Proper wound care: Aging skin takes longer to heal than younger skin, making wound care extremely important. Whether from injury, surgery or a simple accident, wounds in the elderly need to be attended to with regularity and extra attention while healing. Failure to follow proper wound care steps can lead to infection and worsening health.
7. Incontinence issues: When seniors struggle with incontinence, it can mean big trouble for the skin. When skin is not specially treated when exposed to irritants it can result in blisters, rashes and sores. Eventually the skin can actually break down and cause further problems.
There’s no better time to rededicate yourself to helping your elderly parent take better care of their skin than during National Healthy Skin Month. Because the skin is the barrier between the outside world and your elderly loved one, it’s even more critical to keep it as healthy and protected as possible.
Source:
https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/elderly-skin-conditions#1
If you or an aging loved one are considering elder care in Jupiter, FL, contact the caring staff at BrightStar Care of Jupiter. Call today (561) 741-1200.