Generosity is a celebrated quality, but no one wants to share germs with others. Close contact often is unavoidable when caring for a sick loved one. It’s important to take precautions to prevent the spread of illness.
“Staying well while caring for someone who’s sick can be extra difficult,” says Dr. Karly Johannsen, a Family Medicine Physician with ThedaCare Physicians-New London. “Through taking precautions, you can increase your likelihood of avoiding the spread of illness.”
7 Steps to Staying Well as Caregiver
1. Think ahead.
Your best approach to avoiding seasonal flu and other serious illnesses is to get vaccines for which you’re eligible. Everyone ages 6 months and older should get the annual flu shot. Depending on your age and health risk factors, you also may need the RSV and pneumonia vaccines. Talk with your care team about the COVID-19 vaccine as well. Vaccines are available through ThedaCare clinics and retail pharmacies. Schedule online using MyThedaCare for your convenience.
2. Wash your hands carefully.
“Once germs are on your hands, it’s easy for them to get into your body when you touch your eyes or mouth,” Dr. Johannsen says. “Rub your hands together with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.”
Wash your hands frequently, and use lotion to ward off dryness. You’ll especially want to wash before and after any contact with a sick person.
Hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol can work as a stop-gap measure. However, hand sanitizer is not effective against stomach bugs. Wash with soap and water if you’re caring for someone with a gastrointestinal illness.
3. Practice physical distancing and wear a well-fitting mask.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, masks were unfamiliar. Now they’re much more accessible. They remain a proven tool to prevent the spread of germs when caring for others.
“If you can, give the sick person their own room,” Dr. Johanssen says. “Provide them plenty of supplies like water and tissues, and limit their exposure to other people. The only person who should go in and out of the sick room is the person taking care of the individual.”
4. Wash and replace items frequently.
Cold and flu germs can cling to fabric. When someone in your house is sick, replace cloth hand towels, bed linens and dishrags with freshly laundered or disposable supplies. Have the person who’s sick use separate hand towels. Use paper cups in the bathroom instead of water glasses.
5. Practice coughing and sneezing etiquette.
The person who’s ill should cough or sneeze into their elbow instead of their hands. This can be trickier if the “patient” is a child. Reinforce this concept often with young ones, reminding them to sneeze and cough into their “chicken wing.” Before long, it will become a habit.
6. Sanitize common spaces.
Avoiding germ spread in shared living spaces like bathrooms and kitchens can feel daunting.
“Sanitize surfaces. Clean and disinfect hard surfaces like countertops, tables, refrigerator handles, doorknobs and faucets,” Dr. Johannsen says. “Don’t forget TV remotes, computers, laptops and phones. Some germs can live on these surfaces for up to 48 hours.”
Clean with an Environmental Protection Agency-approved disinfectant or disinfecting wipes. Alternatively, you can make your own solution with a quarter-cup of bleach mixed with 1 gallon of water.
7. Be mindful of others.
“In recent years, we’ve come to appreciate the need for rest and recovery,” Dr. Johanssen says. “That also means distancing ourselves from others to keep them safe from our germs.”
When sick, stay home from work, school and gatherings. For respiratory illnesses, resume normal activities only after the individual’s symptoms have improved and they’re fever-free for 24 hours without the help of fever-reducing medications.
If the person was sick with a stomach illness, they should keep away from others for 48 hours after their symptoms have resolved.
Here for You
“We wish everyone a healthy winter,” Dr. Johannsen says. “When you or your loved one needs care, our teams are always here for you.”
You have several care options, including virtual care, in-person primary care and urgent/walk-in care. Visit ThedaCare Get Care Now for guidance on choosing.
