You can’t always be there. But we can.
Keep Your Parents’ Safety in Mind During a 4th of July BBQ
How to Manage Back Pain in Seniors
June 17, 2019
Board Games Your Teens and Parents Will Love Playing Together
July 1, 2019Keep Your Parents’ Safety in Mind During a 4th of July BBQ
Independence Day is a time for family gatherings, outdoor barbecues, and picnics. Whether you’re at home, at a lake, or visiting a park on the 4th, you need to keep safety in mind. It’s not just your kids that need to be watched.
Homecare West Hills CA – Keep Your Parents’ Safety in Mind During a 4th of July BBQ
Chronic health conditions like Alzheimer’s increase the risk of a parent wandering off. Weaker immune systems increase the risk of foodborne illnesses. Sunshine also increases the risk of sunburn, heat exhaustion, and sunstroke. You must focus on safety during any outside celebration or gathering.
Food Safety
The CDC states there are well over 250 foodborne illnesses. Every year, 48 million people become ill because of a portion of food or the foods they ate. While it’s hard to avoid all bacteria and viruses found in foods, many of them are easily avoided with proper handling.
Always wash your hands before you handle any foods. Wash your produce before you chop or slice it. Use a separate cutting board or plate for raw meats and don’t cross-contaminate. If you’re cooking steaks and chicken, keep them separate before and after cooking. Keep meats chilled until the grill is ready.
Salads, sandwiches, or other items made with mayonnaise need to be kept refrigerated. If you’re away from home, a cooler filled with ice will work. You might want to put a layer of block ice under a layer of crushed ice. Sink your salad bowls into the crushed ice to keep the sides of the bowl cold, too.
Water Safety
People should not be in the water unsupervised if they cannot swim. Those who cannot swim should stay in shallow water and have supervision. Life jackets are important for children. If your parents can’t swim, they should also wear a life jacket.
On a beach or river, water shoes keep the feet from getting cut on sharp rocks, branches, and pieces of glass. It’s worth keeping shoes on. Make sure sunscreen is applied as soon as your mom or dad is out of the water.
Talk About Emergencies
Before you leave the house to get into cars or head outside, make sure you talk about safety plans. If you’re going to a park or lake, set a meeting point and make sure everyone knows to remain with someone else. The buddy system is especially important while your parents are in the water or walking on a trail.
Make sure people have phones that are fully charged. Fitness watches that have GPS tracking are also useful.
If your mom or dad needs careful monitoring, bring a homecare aide with you. If that’s not an option, it may be best to limit activities to someone’s fenced backyard. The other option is to leave your parents home with a trained caregiver. Homecare services can help arrange that.
Source: https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/foodborne-germs.html
