Flu season has been seriously awful! When you have someone with mobility issues, being cognizant of germs is very important and very hard to stay on top of.
I want to share with you some of the ways I combat the germs. I’m knocking on wood as I write this, but so far my husband and I have both managed not to succumb to the flu that seems to be so prevalent here in NC this season.
Let’s start with personal care. If your injured spouse (IS) is like mine and doesn’t have use of one hand, it’s difficult to keep hands germ free. I did two things to help with this.
1. I discovered hand sanitizer wipes. I didn’t even know they made hand sanitizer wipes! These babies are great for wiping down the hands and the face. They also are very helpful if your IS is eating sticky/messy foods. Can be a lot easier than getting to the sink and using your hands to wash their hands.
2. I put hand sanitizer dispensers in both bathrooms. My husband is able to push the handle back with his good hand, let the “soap” fall in his hand and then he rubs his affected hand with it and thereby rubs it into both hands. There’s now a touch-free version and that would be even better!
Now for keeping the germs at bay in the house:
Old faithful…Lysol! I spray door handles toilet seats, sinks, etc. with it. I don’t have time to do it constantly, but I am doing it daily. if you keep a couple of cans handy – I suggest one in each bathroom and one in the kitchen, you can generally get at one fairly easily if you have them there.
My spouse is able to get these open and pull one out on his own. He wipes down his rolling table with them. I also use them in the kitchen and bathrooms.
I use this all over the house to easily clear out the dust. I find it really only takes a few minutes and if you can keep the surfaces dust free, it can cut down on stuffy noses if your IS is sensitive to dust.
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