There are dozens of holidays during the winter season that gives families all over the country an opportunity to gather and spend quality time with each other. Whether you and your family celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas, Los Posadas, Winter Solstice, Soyal or any other holiday this season, home healthcare services can be a big help. Read on to learn how Maxim Healthcare’s services can benefit your family and get tips on avoiding illness while gathering with family and friends.
How in-home care can help families during the holidays
As fun as the holidays can be, they are often taxing for families with members needing home care.
Patients who need skilled care for an extended period can also benefit from home health nursing during the holiday season. Those who live alone can benefit from having someone to interact with to avoid the depression that can come from spending the holidays alone. At Maxim, our services are available 24 hours a day and seven days a week – even on weekends and holidays.
Families that take care of an ill or injured family member on their own may benefit from respite services during this season. Respite care allows family caregivers a period of rest and relief with the knowledge that their loved one is under the supervision of a trained and experienced caregiver. This can give family members time to decorate, prepare holiday meals or participate in certain holiday traditions. Everyone needs a break occasionally to recharge – respite care services can help you refresh, rejuvenate and prepare for the new year.
Staying safe during the holiday season
While the holidays are a great time to gather with loved ones, they can also be a time when illness can quickly spread. This is especially concerning for very young, elderly, or immunocompromised individuals or those with medical comorbidities. The University of Michigan Health warns that while COVID has been top of mind for many people in recent years, other potentially dangerous viruses such as respiratory syncytial virus, influenza and adenovirus have made a strong resurgence.
To protect your health and that of your loved ones, you can follow a few simple steps to avoid illness.
- Stay away from others if you aren’t feeling well.
It can be hard to distance yourself from family and friends during the holiday season, but it can be in everyone’s best interest to stay distanced if you aren’t feeling well. Consider phone or zoom calls to connect and send gifts in the mail.
- Get up to date with vaccines.
Staying current on your vaccinations is an excellent method for avoiding infection and illness. The flu vaccine and the bivalent COVID-19 booster are available. Dr. Laraine Washer, epidemiologist and professor of infectious diseases at the University of Michigan Medical School, shared, “Before gathering, just make sure you’ve given yourself enough time to get the full effect of your flu vaccine or the bivalent COVID-19 booster done, especially if you’re planning to go to a larger gathering or even a smaller gathering.” This period is about two weeks for most vaccines.
- Wear a mask and wash your hands.
Masking is an effective way to decrease the spread of all types of respiratory viruses. Try to mask in indoor spaces with low ventilation and groups of people. If you are immunocompromised, mask around people outside of your household. Hand washing is also important, especially before eating or touching your face. Several illnesses can spread through contaminated surfaces.
Let Maxim Help this Holiday Season
Our LPNs, LVNs and RNs provide private-duty care and treatment for chronic and acute illnesses and disabilities for pediatric and adult patients. And our unskilled care services can help with bathing, daily hygiene and mobility. Our caregivers are trained, screened and certified, and Maxim is certified by the Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC).
Contact your local Maxim office to learn what services are available near you.
